


Counting The Days: Forgiveness

by Nightglider124



Series: Counting The Days [1]
Category: DCU (Comics), Teen Titans (Animated Series), Teen Titans (Comics), Teen Titans - All Media Types, Titans (Comics)
Genre: Angst, Beast Boy/Raven - Freeform, Book I, Counting The Days, Cybee, Drama, F/M, Fluff, Forgiveness, Hurt/Comfort, Mild Smut, RobStar, Robin/Starfire - Freeform, Romance, bbrae - Freeform, multi-chapter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-23
Updated: 2019-07-14
Packaged: 2020-03-09 21:33:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 40
Words: 143,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18925414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nightglider124/pseuds/Nightglider124
Summary: Book I. After the events of Tokyo, the Titans find themselves starting a whole new chapter in their lives. Relationships begin to blossom within the team but they aren't without bumps in the road. Our young heroes soon learn that some secrets are best left in the past where they belong. Multi-Chapter. Kudos/Comments are appreciated! ^.^





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note: So, this story is the first in a series labelled under "Counting The Days" series. This story is actually already finished and if you want to go ahead and read it all in one, then it's up and complete over on my ff.net account - Literally same username. 
> 
> I'll be uploading 2 chapters a week on here rather than all at once, just to give some momentum etc XD. I thought I would upload it here too, despite it being finished on ff.net because I know some people prefer reading fics on AO3 than ff.net.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy it and I'll try to remember to add chapter summaries since this series is what I've been working on since 2016 and I've had it planned for years before that. 
> 
> It's worth noting that whilst this one is finished on ff.net, I am currently writing the 2nd installment on ff.net but I'll start uploading that here once I'm done uploading Forgiveness.
> 
> Right, I've rambled enough. Hope you enjoy! Feel free to kudos and/or comment, it's always great to see feedback! ^.^

The sun glimmered across the sea as the T-ship glided over it, smoothly. Cyborg silently praised himself for his accurate prediction of sunny skies for their return home.

Tokyo certainly had been a trip full of unforgettable memories; including one specific memory. Starfire stared out of the window as they continued to fly home but all she could think about was the kiss that she had shared with Robin. Every time that she thought about it, a blush crept across her cheeks. It seemed almost surreal that it had happened at all. However, they hadn't once  _actually_  talked about the kiss nor had they spoken about what effect it had on their relationship. They had held hands whilst they were on stage on their last day in Japan but Starfire feared that it would not stay the same when they returned home.

That was the only part of the situation that caused Starfire concern. She watched the dolphins as they playfully leaped through the water whilst she considered her negative thoughts. Robin had seemed so carefree when they were in Tokyo; it was always nice to see the more gentle side of him but now that they were returning to Jump City, she was anxious about him brushing their kiss off like it was nothing. She groaned as she imagined the way  _that_  conversation would go.

Instead of feeling cheerful about the expression of feelings, Starfire felt uneasy and troubled. She didn't want to forget about the kiss and she prayed that Robin didn't want to forget either but she felt hopeless as they drew closer to the tower. She sighed and glanced away from the window as Robin's voice crackled over her headset,

"Alright, titans. We're a couple of minutes from home so get ready to land." He announced,

"Awesome! I'm gonna play mega monkeys 6 and eat a tofu burger! Mm..." Beastboy excitedly told them all,

"Ooh! Count me in Beastie!" Cyborg chimed, "But I don't want no nasty tofu."

"Can somebody take their headsets and throw them into the ocean please?" Raven mumbled through her mic. Beastboy narrowed his eyes at the empath and pulled a face at her from his pod. Raven rolled her eyes and returned her focus to the book she had open on her lap,

Robin quietly chuckled at his predictable team as he switched the devices off once more. He smiled and carefully turned around to cast a glance at Starfire. His smile slowly evaporated as he noticed that her expression wasn't one of happiness. She looked like she was mulling something over in her mind.

He shrugged and made a mental note to ask her about it when they got back to the tower; Robin didn't think that Starfire would appreciate it if he asked her over the headsets.

He sighed contently and leaned back in his seat as a timid smile appeared on his face. Robin wasn't that good at voicing his feelings, especially when they involved Starfire but he could just about contain his happiness over their actions in Tokyo. He had wanted to kiss Starfire for so long and now that he had, he felt a lot more confident with her. It was a nice feeling to consider her as his girlfriend, even if they hadn't verbally used terms yet. However, Robin faltered for a moment as he thought about Starfire's behaviour on the journey home. She hadn't been at all talkative and all she had done was sleep and look out of the window. He assumed that she would be a lot more cheerful over their new relationship status unless he had overestimated how much she actually liked him. He gulped and tried not to think about it for a while. Perhaps they just needed to talk about things.

The entire team sighed as the tower came into their sights. They had enjoyed their time in Tokyo but it was always an indescribable feeling to be home.

Robin pressed a few buttons so that the T-ship hovered in front of the building and he jumped out of his individual pod. Cyborg had already explained that he wanted to work on the T-ship, claiming that the long distance to Japan had caused some damage so Robin decided to leave it hovering for him to do whatever he wanted.

"I'll get the bags out; hold up guys." Cyborg told them, opening up the back of the T-ship.

He pulled a green duffle bag from the back and chucked it at Beastboy, causing him to fall down. Raven smirked and marked her place in the book that she had been reading.

"Ugh... That hurt... Am I dead?" Beastboy groaned,

"Yep... That's why you're still talking." Raven said, sarcastically,

The changeling stood up and dusted himself off to grasp onto the little dignity that remained. Without warning, a darker green duffle bag hit him square in the face and he fell flat on his back again.

Cyborg nervously laughed, "Oops... Uh... Heads up?"

Raven's smile widened at the mishap, "Perfect..." She mumbled, catching her own dark blue duffle bag as Cyborg tossed it to her.

Robin shook his head at the comedy in front of him and turned to look at Starfire who was patiently waiting for her bag to be thrown to her.

He stepped closer to her and offered her a soft smile, "Hey Star," He greeted,

Starfire blinked at him before she brushed some of her hair behind her ear, "Greetings, Robin," She replied,

"Are you okay? You hardly spoke on the way home,"

Starfire nodded, "I believe I am simply... Tired,"

Robin accepted that answer; they were all pretty exhausted from not only the trip home but the action that they had been faced with whilst they were in Tokyo.

"Listen, Star... I really-" Robin was cut off as Cyborg lobbed a light purple duffle bag over to Starfire, who caught it without difficulty.

Starfire gulped and her heart began to pound. She didn't want to deal with the dreaded conversation just yet. All she wanted to do was unpack and cuddle with Silkie for a little while.

"Nice catch," Robin complimented,

Starfire shyly smiled, "Thank you,"

"Hey, do you want me to walk up with you?" Robin wondered,

Starfire looked away from him even though she wanted that more than anything. She wanted to be with him all the time but she felt so insecure about where they stood with one another.

"Uh... No thank you..." Starfire answered, smiling brightly to avoid questioning.

She hauled her bag over her shoulder and quickly retreated inside before anything else could be said.

Robin raised an eyebrow as he watched her scurry off. There was definitely something going on with her and he wanted to find out what it was. Surely, she felt more comfortable with him now than ever before; she could tell him anything that was bothering her.

He was brought out of his reverie by the sound of his red duffle bag hitting the ground. Robin sighed and picked it up before he slung it over his shoulder and trekked inside and up to his room to unpack. He casted a glance at Starfire's door as he passed by and frowned.

Raven didn't need telepathic powers to sense when Beastboy entered the room. She was sitting in OPS reading her book when she suddenly heard heavy footsteps and loud chewing. Her eyebrows furrowed and she sighed in annoyance as the green teenager slumped upon the sofa with orange dust all over his cheeks.

He rummaged around in the giant bag of chips and brought a handful out before stuffing them into his mouth. Raven watched him with disgust and cringed as he grinned at her,

"Hey Rae! D'you want some chips?" He asked, holding the bag out to her,

"No." She returned, bluntly.

Beastboy shrugged and grabbed the remote from the coffee table and began flipping through the channels, not really paying attention to any of the shows that were on.

Raven gritted her teeth at his bothersome antics and slammed her book shut, "Can you just pick something already!?" She growled, allowing her eyes to glow,  
Beastboy raised an eyebrow at her outburst, "What's up with you?" He queried,

"We've only been home for a couple of hours and you're already bugging me."

"What can I say? It's one of my best skills."

"Beastboy, don't make me send you to another dimension."

"Oh come on Raven. Just relax and veg out on the couch!"

"I'd rather jump off a cliff."

Beastboy furrowed his eyebrows as he could feel himself getting irritated, "If you don't like the way I'm acting, why don't you just go to another room?"

"Why should I have to leave when you're the one acting childish?"

"I'm not! You're just being super grouchy today. Gosh, no wonder you don't have a boyfriend or anything."

Beastboy regretted his words as soon as they escaped his lips. Raven's eyes widened briefly, feeling shocked at what he had just said to her. She exhaled and stood up from the sofa,

"Raven-" Beastboy began,

Raven pulled up her hood and held a hand up at him, "Just leave me alone," She murmured before disappearing down the hallway.

Beastboy groaned and slapped a hand against his face, "Idiot!" He hissed at himself. He sighed and threw the remote across the room, hearing it as it hit the ground.

Meanwhile, Starfire stared out at the beautiful orange sunset before her as she sat up on the roof. She sighed and pulled her legs up so that her chin rested against her knees. She hugged her drawn up legs and shivered ever so slightly as a light breeze flowed, picking up wisps of her long auburn hair. Starfire had been thinking about herself and Robin all day. She didn't know whether or not to just ask him where they stood with one another or not because the wait for him to announce how he didn't think they should be together in case someone was to use it against them, was killing her.

She snapped out of her deep thoughts as she heard the roof door close. Starfire faintly smiled; there was only one person that would know to look for her up on the roof.

Robin sat down beside her and offered Starfire a warm smile, which she couldn't help but smile back at,

"Hey..." He acknowledged, shuffling closer to her,

"Hello Robin..." She returned, feeling her heart beat faster. Starfire was almost certain that it was now or never to talk to him about her fears.

"Star... What's wrong?" He blurted, "You haven't talked to me properly since we left Tokyo. It's like you're avoiding me or something..."

Starfire felt a pang of guilt run through her. She knew that she had probably hurt him by ignoring him the whole time.

"I am sorry..." She trailed off and sighed. Robin sat up and stared at her with a concerned expression. He gently rested a hand on her shoulder, prompting her to continue,

"I... I have been acting differently because I do not know where we are now. I do not understand what I mean to you and above everything... I was worried that you would not wish to pursue a relationship with me once we returned home..."

Robin raised an eyebrow at her, "Why would you think that, Star?"

"Because... We are back to our normal life and I thought... Perhaps..."

"I'd have second thoughts about kissing you in Tokyo?"

Starfire closed her eyes and nodded sadly,

Robin smiled and shook his head, "Starfire..." He paused and took her hands in his, "I wouldn't have kissed you if I didn't want something more with you."

She perked up ever so slightly and stared back at him, "Truly?"

"Mhm," Robin nodded, "As for where we are... I guess that's your call... I mean, I want you to be my girlfriend... Y'know, officially."

Starfire smiled as Robin rubbed the back of his neck and blushed.

"I would like to be able to call you my boyfriend..." Starfire informed him, causing him to smile at her nervously.

"Good because... I really do care about you, Star..." He mumbled, the redness in his cheeks getting worse,

Starfire giggled as her fears became completely extinguished. She leaned forward and embraced Robin closely whilst leaning her head on his shoulder. Robin smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist to return the hug.

Robin could smell her intoxicating strawberry scent as he buried his face in her hair. He was relieved that they had cleared everything up about their relationship and his heart soared at knowing that they were now a couple.

After they separated, Starfire took a chance and pressed her lips to his. She smiled during the kiss as she felt Robin tighten his arms around her waist and kiss her back. She placed a hand against his shoulder and broke the kiss as she needed to breathe in some fresh air,

Robin and Starfire panted slightly but nervously smiled at each other nevertheless, "I've wanted to kiss you again since Tokyo." He admitted, earning a small giggle from Starfire,

"You should have asked for one..." Starfire responded, smirking at him,

"Well if I'd known it'd be that easy..." He shrugged, grinning back at her.

Robin slowly got to his feet and offered Starfire a hand in standing up too, "Are you hungry?" He quizzed,

Starfire accepted his outstretched hand and stood up to face him, "Quite actually." She agreed,

"How about I cook up some pancakes with mustard?"

Starfire beamed at him and nodded whilst making a small noise of appreciation, "That sounds glorious!"

Robin intertwined his fingers with Starfire's and brushed his thumb against her soft skin as they wandered downstairs. As they strolled through the main hallway, Starfire told Robin about odd little biscuits that she had brought back from Japan that had small panda faces on them.

"They are very sweet and they have cute little faces engraved into them and-" Starfire stopped talking as Raven stormed out of OPS and marched straight past them.

"Raven?" Starfire called but Raven kept moving, clearly not comfortable with talking about her problems in front of Robin.

Robin and Starfire exchanged confused glances, "Ohh... I should go and talk to her. We will make the pancakes later, yes?" Starfire confirmed,

"Of course," Robin answered,

Starfire smiled and softly kissed his cheek before she released his hand and headed in the opposite direction towards Raven's room. Robin softly smiled after her and continued walking towards OPS where he found Beastboy looking ashamed. He immediately assumed that he had something to do with Raven's apparently foul mood.

Starfire hesitated before she knocked lightly on Raven's door. After a moment of silence, all she heard was "Go away."

"Raven?" Starfire paused, "It is Starfire... Please, do you wish to do the talking?"

She clasped her hands in front of her form and waited patiently for Raven to make up her mind. Suddenly, the door slid open and Raven stared at her.

Starfire smiled and floated into the room and sat down on the round blue bed. Raven sighed and slowly sat down beside the cheerful alien,

"You seem... Happy..." Raven commented,

"I am..." Starfire twiddled her fingers, "Robin and I talked about our relationship and we are now doing the dating."

Raven allowed a ghost of a smile to trace her lips, "I'm happy for you, Starfire."

"Thank you friend... However, what has upset you?"

The dark girl exhaled loudly, "It's just something that Beastboy said... It wasn't so much the comment... I just didn't expect him to say it."

"What did he say?"

"We were arguing because he was being annoying as per usual and then he said that I was just being grouchy and that's why I... Don't have a boyfriend or anything..."

"Oh! That is awful! It does not matter how angry you become... You should never make personal comments like that."

"No... I guess... He is right."

"Raven, he is not right. There is no reason for you not having the boyfriend. You are very intelligent, very pretty and you are a wonderful friend."

"I'm a grouch most of the time though,"

"You are not the 'grouch'... You simply desire more alone time than others and I am sure your reasoning for getting angry with Beastboy was justifiable."

Raven gave Starfire a small smile, "Thanks, Starfire..." She remarked,

"I welcome you..." She paused, "Now, do you wish to meditate together?"

The empath nodded,

Starfire sat up straight and clapped her hands, "Oh! Yay!" She exclaimed,

After all, she appreciated Starfire's efforts at making her feel better although, no matter what Raven told herself, she couldn't seem to shake Beastboy's comment and she couldn't figure out why.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls take a moment to collect themselves outside of the tower, leaving the boys to fret over where they may be.

Raven gritted her teeth and tried shutting her eyes even tighter to rid her mind of whatever it was blocking her concentration. It had been just under 2 weeks since her small argument with Beastboy in the main room but it was apparently still playing on her mind. Raven still couldn't understand why though; she and Beastboy were forever arguing with one another. She didn't know why this particular argument was prominently settling within her thoughts. The empath sighed and planted her feet firmly upon the floor of her room. There was no point in trying to meditate if her mind was going to keep denying her of it.

She considered going to find Starfire to talk about it but she thought against it. The alien Princess had been so cheerful since she and Robin had made things official; Raven didn't want to ruin it by burdening the girl with her own insignificant problems.  
Raven took a step towards the bookshelf that stood tall in the corner of her room but stopped as the alarm sounded and the room continuously flashed red. She pulled her hood up over her head and lifted from the ground, zipping through the hallways to get to the main room.

She entered the room at the same time as Beastboy and Cyborg and all eyes were on the large screen. Robin tapped his fingers frantically at the keys in order to learn what was happening.

An image of Plasmus appeared upon the screen and caused them all to raise their eyebrows in surprise. The last time they had seen the gooey monster was before Tokyo when a large amount of villains had been frozen in Paris after their fight with The Brotherhood of Evil. Robin quietly growled and clenched his fists at the sight of Plasmus.  
Beastboy waved his hand in the air suddenly, "Uh... Didn't we freeze him into a villain popsicle back in Paris?" He checked, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.

"Yes." Robin returned, standing up straight,

"Then how did he come back?" Cyborg interjected,

Robin turned to look at them all, "I guess we'll just have to find out." He paused and hooked his communicator onto his belt, "Let's go!"

With that, the titans rushed out of the main room. Starfire gulped as she floated behind the rest of them. She had a feeling that Robin was not going to be in a good mood, regardless of the outcome of the battle with Plasmus.

Robin gritted his teeth as he drew an ice disk from his belt and hurled it at Plasmus who was screeching so much, some windows from buildings had shattered.

The ear-splitting scream stopped immediately as the disk reacted with the large monster and covered him completely with solid ice. Robin deeply inhaled at the temporary silence that filled the air. It was peaceful if only for a brief moment.

He focused on the rest of the team as they carried out their own moves to bring down Plasmus. He watched as Beastboy took the form of a pterodactyl with Cyborg on his back and flew closely towards Plasmus. Cyborg aimed his sonic cannon at Plasmus and released a powerful blow that caused the monster to plummet towards the hard ground.

As the concrete cracked beneath him, Plasmus slowly deteriorated into his human form. He slept soundly as Raven and Starfire used their powers to wrap iron, construction poles around him to make sure that he did not get back even if he was to miraculously wake up again. Starfire finished it off by melting one last pole with her starbolts and wrapped it tightly around his arms.

She exhaled unevenly and floated downwards until her feet touched the ground. The team regrouped just beside the criminal so they could talk their plans over.

"Good work, titans. Cyborg and Beastboy, I want you guys to take him to his isolation cell in the prison." He paused as they nodded and set about doing just that, "Raven, I want you to go with them and complete the report for his crimes,"

Raven was half irritated by the instruction. She didn't exactly feel like going with them considering she still wasn't on great terms with the green shape shifter that stood a couple of metres away from her. With an internal sigh, she nodded and followed Cyborg and Beastboy.

Robin watched them leave before he turned towards Starfire, "Star, I want you to help me go through the security cameras that we left in Paris. We need to find out how Plasmus got out so that we're prepared for anymore surprises." He informed her,

Starfire nodded, "Do you have any thoughts on how it could have occurred, Robin?" She replied,

"Mm... I have one theory but I can't figure out who it would be. I have a hunch that he might have been released by another criminal."

"But... Who could that be? I believe all of our most threatening criminals were stopped when we faced The Brotherhood of Evil."

"I'm not sure yet... But I can bet we'll find out from the cameras."

Starfire nodded and held her hands out for him to take so that they could fly. Robin smiled and blushed ever so slightly as he placed his own hands in hers.

"Robin, we have used this method to fly many times before. Do not tell me you are shy now that we have begun the dating process..." Starfire smirked, tilting her head at him.  
The boy wonder chuckled and he could feel the heat on his cheeks getting worse,

"C'mon..." Robin whined, feeling embarrassed. He wasn't afraid to show her affection but it was all still very new to them both, especially after being just friends for such a long time.

Starfire giggled but lifted him from the ground immediately. The smile on his face remained as they soared through the clear sky as they returned to the tower. Ever since the two of them had become an item, he had felt a lot more upbeat. He didn't know how she did it but, Starfire was capable of turning his sour moods around completely.

Robin took a couple of minutes to obtain the recent footage from The Brotherhood's base that was located beneath the streets of Paris and as he made it appear on screen, Starfire wandered into the monitor room. She placed a glass of water on the desk for him, causing him to look away from the screen and smile lovingly at her.

"Thanks," He commented,

He leaned closer to Starfire and placed a tender kiss upon her cupid bow lips as an affectionate sign of appreciation for her thoughtfulness. She was surprised by his actions and timidly smiled. Her cheeks burned as a blush crept over them.

"Now, who's blushing?" He teased, earning a small giggle from her.

His attention returned to the screens as he pressed play on the remote. He watched with a scowl as he witnessed a figure brush past the security camera. Robin took a step closer and rested his palms on the desk as he peered closer at the figure on the screen.  
For a brief moment, Robin couldn't believe what he was seeing. His eyes widened behind his mask as the concise flash of orange and black could not be mistaken for anyone else.  
Robin flexed his jaw and balled his hands into fists, "Slade..." He hissed,

Starfire gasped at the discovery. She had been certain that they had seen the last of the masked madman after the short lived reign of Trigon.

Her expression saddened. She knew exactly what happened whenever Slade was back on the scene. Robin became obsessive and somewhat irrational if it meant getting closer to catching the masked villain. She bit her lip as Robin pounded a fist against the desk surface,

"I knew I should have taken him down when I had the chance." Robin mumbled, allowing his head to hang in an irritated way,

Starfire opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. She watched her boyfriend carefully, knowing that she was probably in dangerous territory.

"Robin... You cannot allow yourself to feel the guilt for not apprehending Slade when you travelled to save Raven. After all, he was not a threat at the time." She whispered, hoping to soften his mood,

He glanced at her with a stoic expression, "No but he was a threat all the other times, Starfire!"

Starfire paused and furrowed her eyebrows in concern as he began to pace the room.

"Ugh! We should have been keeping a close eye on the criminals. Something like this was bound to happen!" Robin yelled, "And yet we were so careless in Japan!"

For some reason, Starfire felt a sharp feeling in her heart at that comment.

"Robin-"

"You might as well leave, Starfire. I have to do more research into his whereabouts."

Starfire held a small ounce of hope in her heart, "Perhaps... Would you be needing help of any-"

"No. I'll get through it faster on my own." He answered, turning away from her as he sorted through reports on the desk.

Starfire felt her mood decrease considerably and she struggled to swallow the lump in her throat. It was strange how quickly Robin could forget about her feelings when moments beforehand, he had been gently kissing her.

She felt tears prick her eyes but she restrained herself from letting any roll down her cheeks. She sighed and looked at the ground,

"I see. Then... I shall... Stay out of your way." She whispered before she turned on her heel and left quickly.

As soon as the door closed behind her, Starfire placed a hand over her mouth and allowed tears to fall. It wasn't necessarily what Robin had said to her but; this was the kind of thing that she had been concerned about. Starfire had continuously thought about what would happen if Robin became obsessed with being a hero once more. She had a feeling that he would eventually reach the point where he would want to break up with her in fear of their relationship getting in the way.

She shut her eyes tightly at the mere thought of breaking up. They had only been together for just under a week; she shouldn't be having concerns such as that in such early stages of the relationship.  
With a heavy sigh, Starfire pushed herself away from Robin's door and trudged to her own room, locking the door behind her; something she very rarely did.

On the other side of the door, Robin had already begun beating himself up for the way that he had just spoken to Starfire. He couldn't help himself; seeing Slade brought up so much anger and frustration at the thought of him freely setting up plots to destroy the city.

Robin ran a hand through his hair and sighed as he thought of his amazing girlfriend who he had just pushed away, as per usual. He groaned and allowed his head to fall into his hands. He didn't understand why he did it; he always deeply appreciated Starfire's offers to help and yet it always ended with him yelling in her face.

He was surprised Starfire hadn't already broken up with him; it was surely inevitable with the way that he treated her.

The main room was completely silent as Cyborg trudged up from the garage. He had been working on the T-Car as he always did. For some reason, his 'baby' always had room for improvement even though Cyborg constantly referred to the car as being perfect.

Cyborg glanced around and was shocked to see none of his teammates in the main living quarters. He rested a hand on the Gamestation box and raised an eyebrow when he felt that it was cold.

Curiosity began to course through his veins. It was unusual for the busiest room in the tower to be completely void of people. He sighed and knew that Beastboy must have been feeling upset about the argument he and Raven had a few days prior. Cyborg was also acutely aware of the fact that, with the return of Slade, Robin and Starfire had quarrelled. When the rest of the team had come back from taking Plasmus to jail, Starfire had quietly informed them of the news.

It was clear from her tone of voice and her puffy eyes that a certain boy blunder had upset her, unintentionally of course.

Cyborg hated the idea of Raven and Starfire being so distraught due to the actions of the boys in the tower. He considered the girls very much like his little sisters and he always felt the need to get defensive when something was bothering them.

The large titan approached Beastboy's door and lightly rapped his fist against it.  
"Yeah?" Came the voice from inside,

"It's me. Open up for a sec, dude." Cyborg responded, leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed over his chest.

After a few moments had passed, the door opened to reveal the green changeling. He glanced up at Cyborg and sighed,  
"I'm not really in the mood for-"  
"Are you gonna apologise to Raven or are you just gonna sit around and mope about her temporarily hating you?"  
Beastboy groaned, "Hey, I'm not the only one who said things, okay?"  
"No, but what you said was worse, BB."  
He frowned and physically slumped, "I know... Ugh, I was such a jerk!"  
Cyborg chuckled, "You and Raven always fight. I'm sure it'll be fine if you just apologise,"  
"Do you think so?" Beastboy paused, "That's why I haven't said anything yet... I don't know what her reaction will be..."  
"I think... She will appreciate the fact that you felt bad enough to say sorry."  
Beastboy nodded slowly and inhaled a deep breath. He walked through the hallway and stopped in front of Raven's door. He sighed and knocked on the metal door.  
There was absolute silence. There was no sound of shuffling or a responding voice.  
Cyborg came up behind him and gave him a questioning glance to which Beastboy just shrugged,  
"Raven?" Beastboy called,  
Still, there was no response.  
The two boys shared a confused glance and Cyborg took it upon himself to type in the override code to her room. The door swished open and revealed that the room was empty.  
Beastboy walked inside and looked around, feeling as if something wasn't right. His foot nudged against something and the green teenager glanced down and spotted Raven's communicator. He reached for it and turned to Cyborg,  
"She'd never leave this behind, would she?" Beastboy wondered, aloud.  
"I don't think so... C'mon, we'll go ask Star if she knows where Rae is." Cyborg answered,

Robin had had enough of sulking over his attitudes towards Starfire earlier on and he knew that he needed to pluck up the courage to apologise to her. He sighed and pushed himself up from the seat he was perched on and wandered out of the monitoring room.

As he moved through the hallways, his plan of what to say to Starfire slowly but surely, started to form.

It was only when he came face to face with her door that his nerves began to nibble away at him. He exhaled heavily and gently tapped at the door with his fist. There was no sounds from within the room so he leaned against it slightly, "Star?" He paused, "It's me... Look, I really wanted to apologise for earlier... I didn't mean to yell..."

He bit his lip and considered why she hadn't opened the door or made any move to show that she was listening, "Starfire? Are you in there?" He tested,

Raising an eyebrow, he typed in the override code to her room. The door opened immediately and he took a small step inside. The only sign of life was Silkie who was curled up on Starfire's bed, soundly asleep.

As Robin glanced at the mutant worm, he noticed Starfire's communicator idly placed beside him. His heart raced suddenly; she wouldn't leave her communicator behind unless she had been attacked or something. He gulped and turned as he heard footsteps within the corridor.

Beastboy and Cyborg appeared in the doorway and matched Robin's expression of concern, "Robin, we can't find Raven and her communicator was left in her room..." Beastboy informed their leader, who picked up Starfire's communicator,

"Starfire isn't here either." He murmured,

"Do you think they're in trouble?" Cyborg wondered,

"I hope not," Robin sighed, frowning as he glanced at Starfire's communication device. If she was even remotely hurt, guilt would overtake him completely.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls return and conversations and arguments are shared...

The sound of the rushing waterfalls was the only thing that could be heard as Starfire and Raven sat on the edge of the cliff. Starfire had located the peaceful spot way back when Robin had told her that she needed to get rid of an overgrown Silkie. Ever since, she sometimes rested there just to regain some tranquility within her life.

Raven felt honored that Starfire would bring her along to the quiet sanctuary. She sat back and sighed, briefly opening her eyes to overlook the sea and the city.

"This place is amazing, Starfire." She murmured, not wanting to shatter the blissful silence.

"It is a glorious place to visit when I am feeling..." She trailed off; Starfire felt so many different things, it was hard to simply identify one of them.

Raven frowned and sat up, "So what  _did_  the boy blunder do this time?" She quizzed, knowing that was the source of Starfire's low mood.

Starfire shook her head slightly as if it was nothing but Raven gently touched her shoulder, giving her the signal that she was free to vent her feelings. The Princess allowed her shoulders to slump as she exhaled noisily.

"It is the return of Slade... When he saw him upon the monitoring screens, he seemed to revert back to his old ways. He immediately became obsessed with the idea of Slade being a threat once more." She paused and glanced out across the ocean, "I thought he had realized that there was more to life than just being a hero... Perhaps I was foolish to think that..."

Raven always felt sympathetic for Starfire; the girl always tried so hard to help Robin and be as useful and as positive as possible and yet he continued to push her away. In reverse, Raven knew that Robin didn't mean to do it but sometimes, he could be such an idiot.

The empath breathed out slowly, "I honestly don't think he means to, Starfire. You know what he's like when it comes to Slade. He yells and gets angry but he starts beating himself up about it immediately after, especially when it comes to getting angry at  _you_."

Starfire gulped and furrowed her eyebrows as she stared at the waves crashing into the rocks at the bottom of the cliff, "But what if it does not stop?"

"What do you mean?"

"When we returned from Tokyo, my fear was that he would put being a hero first once again and I... I sense that happening already..."

Raven sighed once again, "Things have become rocky with the whole team since we got back. I think we're all getting stressed about the situation with all the criminals being released and I think... Emotions are running high and things have been said that weren't meant."

"Is that the reason for my problem as well as yours?"

Raven blinked at her, "What?"

"You are also feeling unhappy, Raven."

The dark girl allowed her eyes to drift towards the ground beneath them, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes you do. You are still thinking about the argument that occurred between you and friend Beast Boy, correct?"

Raven glanced at Starfire who was offering her a small smile.

"How did you know that?"

Starfire's smile only grew, "You are my best friend, Raven. I am aware of things that cause you unease."

Raven quirked a ghost of a smile but it vanished almost instantly, "I don't know why it's bothering me so much. The arguments that we've had in the past have never stayed in my thoughts for this long."

Starfire tilted her head to the side slightly as a thought flashed through her mind, "Perhaps..."

"What?"

"I was going to suggest... Perhaps... Your feelings towards Beast Boy have grown recently and that is why you are unable to shake the dispute from your mind."

Raven's eyes widened at the mere thought of having  _any_  kind of feelings towards the green changeling. She rolled her eyes and looked away from Starfire, "Yeah, I really doubt that's what it is."

Starfire nodded, understanding that she shouldn't push the matter. The girls sighed simultaneously and remained silent for a brief moment before Starfire slowly sat up straight and tapped her fingertips together,

"Do you think it was wise to leave without informing the boys of our departure?" Starfire grimaced at another thought, "... And for abandoning our communicators?"

Raven floated upwards for a moment and placed her feet firmly upon the ground. She offered Starfire a hand in getting up which she graciously accepted.

"Probably not..." Raven groaned, "I suppose we should go back and face the music."

Starfire raised an eyebrow, "Raven, why would they be playing music and why must we-"

"It's an expression, Starfire."

"Oh."

"No doubt we're gonna get a big lecture from our leader, anyway."

Starfire frowned at the idea of Robin yelling again. She turned towards the tower and prepared to take to the sky but a hand on her shoulder stopped her. Starfire turned around to look at Raven,

"Starfire?"

"Yes, Raven?"

"Thank you..."

The alien blinked at her, "For what?"

Raven shrugged, "Bringing me here... I know that it's  _your_  place and I appreciate you bringing me here to get some peace and quiet."

Starfire beamed back at her, "Raven, you are always welcome to come here with or without me."

"I guess it can be our getaway location from the idiots we live with."

Starfire giggled and nodded. Raven offered her a tiny smile before they both lifted from the ground and soared through the clear blue sky, enjoying their moments of freedom; away from the regular stresses of being a hero. As soon as the titans had learned that the criminals had all been released from the base in Paris, the thoughts and feelings prior to their visit to Tokyo had begun to race back to them. It was so easy to get caught up in the pressures of being a hero and it was clear that they needed to take a breather before the arguments continued to occur.

When the girls touched back down onto the roof of the tower, they both inhaled deeply, readying themselves for whatever awaited them. They were both aware that leaving their communicators behind was very irresponsible but the girls hadn't wanted to be bothered. They both just wanted to get away from the individuals who were causing their ruffled feelings, if only for a little while. The only ones in the tower that Starfire and Raven were on good terms with were Cyborg and Silkie.

Raven and Starfire walked down the stairs and could hear the boys' voices through the doors, leading into OPS. The two of them exchanged a glance before the doors whooshed open to reveal three disgruntled teenage boys. And of course, Robin took the lead almost immediately.

"Where have you two been!?" He yelled; his emotions spiraling from concern rather than anger.

Raven decided to speak in their defense, "Calm down, we were just out. Since when was that forbidden?" She retorted, dryly,

"That's not funny Raven; we thought you were hurt or something." Beast Boy interjected, spiking Raven's defensive side,

"We can take care of ourselves you know." She bit out, gritting her teeth,

Starfire shakily sighed as she watched her friends lash out at one another. Cyborg gently rested a hand against Starfire's shoulder and gave her a brief smile,

"We were just worried is all," Cyborg added, earning a small subtle smile from Starfire. She had always appreciated Cyborg; he was like the big brother that she never had. He always had all of their best interests at heart.

"I can't believe you two were so irresponsible. Leaving without saying anything is one thing but leaving without your communicators is just unbelievable. What if you were needed? Did you even think of that?" Robin interrogated, crossing his arms over his chest,

"We aren't children!" Raven yelled back, feeling her temper rise considerably.

Suddenly, the room was filled with raised voices. Beast Boy, Raven, Cyborg and Robin were all yelling incoherent things at one another, taking out their stress on each other.

Starfire watched them with her hands clasped in front of her and an expression of sadness upon her face. She hated seeing her friends acting like this. She knew that it was due to the sudden change from their small vacation in Tokyo to going back to the city that needed them every day. She closed her eyes tightly and raised her shoulders, hoping that the shouting would stop if she wished it to. Her own anger was building; she found it ridiculous that a group of close friends could only get their thoughts across through arguing. She gritted her teeth until she couldn't take the intolerable noise any longer.

"STOP!" She roared, causing them all to become silent immediately. They all turned and stared at Starfire, giving her their undivided attention.

She deeply exhaled and glanced at all of them, "Friends, please... This is not the way to behave towards one another. We have all become so irritable since our return from Tokyo and I fear that if it is not addressed, we will fall apart." She fretted, allowing her shoulders to slump a little.

The titans glanced at one another and individually shuffled as they knew Starfire was right. They all realized that they needed to hang out with each other instead of worrying constantly about what was happening in the city.

"Star's right." Robin agreed, sighing. He attempted to meet her eyes but she wouldn't return the gesture. He felt a pang of guilt as he acknowledged that he still needed to apologize to her about earlier on in the day.

"I don't want us to fall apart, dudes!" Beast Boy squeaked,

"We won't as long as we stop jumping down each other's throats at every given chance." Cyborg responded, eyeing each member carefully.

"So... Now what?" Raven asked, pulling her hood down.

Starfire gave into a small smile, "I believe we are in need of a team tradition..." She said, quietly. Cyborg grinned down at her.

"I like your thinking, Star." He approved before turning to Beast Boy, "Get the popcorn ready, BB..."

"Movie night!" Beast Boy cheered, high fiving his best friend, "But, someone else can do snacks! I'm gonna try and find House of Gore on Netflix."

"I shall fetch the non cotton candies, friends." Starfire announced. Robin watched her walk towards the kitchen and he couldn't help but follow her.

Raven silently floated over to the sofa and took a seat. She crossed her arms over her chest as she waited for Cyborg and Beast Boy to start the console up.

"Remote... Remote... Cy, where's the-" Beast Boy stopped talking as the remote appeared beside him, in a bubble of black magic. He sheepishly turned to Raven.

"Heh... Thanks Rae." He stated, grinning nervously.

Raven simply nodded and opened the book that she had left on the coffee table that morning. Normally, she would fight him on using that nickname but today, she couldn't do it. She couldn't muster any kind of anger towards him. Starfire was right; they needed to get back to normal.

The empath was still feeling affected from her argument with Beast Boy but she decided to at least be civil to the changeling; he was her friend after all. Still, Raven couldn't shake the suggestion Starfire had made about the occurrence being so raw due to underlying feelings for him. She pondered the idea of having romantic feelings for Beast Boy but she didn't know how she was  _supposed_  to feel. Since defeating Trigon, she was free to experience feelings more openly due to her powerful development afterwards however; she was still concerned. The closest she had ever come to having those kinds of feelings for someone was Malchior and she didn't want a repeat of heartbreak. She was also acutely aware of the fact that her powers were charged by her emotions. Regardless of how developed her abilities became, it could still be dangerous if she allowed herself to have too many fleeting feelings within her head.

"Aha! It's on here!" Beastboy declared, clearly feeling very proud about his small discovery.

Raven sighed as Beast Boy's voice ripped her thoughts apart. She shook her head and abandoned them. She decided that it could only end badly; with her being the one who got hurt.

"Hey BB, the sequel is on here too." Cyborg chirped,

Beast Boy's eyes lit up with delight, "This night is so perfect." He whispered, channeling the geek side of himself.

Raven blinked and sighed; even if she had feelings for Beast Boy, they would go forever unnoticed. She reasoned with herself that he was immature and only really cared for movies, games and tofu. But, she couldn't help but wonder what he  _would_  be like if they ever happened to have feelings for one another.

She blushed and brought her hood up over her head. She shook her head and focused her attention on the book upon the table.

Starfire reached the kitchen area and tried her luck at floating. With the breakthrough of her friends realizing what jerks they had been to one another, she was hoping that she had gained some more joy to fuel her abilities.

As her feet lifted from the ground, she smiled to herself. With the last couple of days springing to her mind, it was no wonder she was worried about her flight capabilities. At the start of the week, she had felt wonderful; with the knowledge that she and Robin were officially together, it was hard for her to stay rooted to the ground but in the last couple of days, things had begun to unravel. The news of Slade's return had caused problems not only for her relationship with Robin but with the team in general. Whenever Slade was mentioned, there was frustration and anger within the tower. They all detested him and each had personal vendettas against him but some felt more passionately about their hatred than others, which usually sparked arguments.

The Princess was very cheerful about her friends agreeing to her movie night idea. She felt it was necessary. Just doing things together such as simply watching a movie always seemed to bring them closer together. No blame could be placed; friendships were hard, especially when everyone's stress levels were on high.

Starfire reached into the cupboard and brought down one large bowl. She clicked her tongue as she wondered where the other bowl could be. She half turned and stopped immediately as she came face to face with Robin. Whenever he appeared out of nowhere like that, she always felt her heart rate quicken both in shock and admiration. She appreciated his agile abilities of stealth; being able to get somewhere without being noticed.

He offered her a small smile and held up the other yellow bowl that they used for popcorn, "Is this what you're looking for?" He asked, quietly,

Starfire nodded and gently took the bowl from him, "Thank you,"

She was aware that he was trying to mend things with her, but in his own way. The Robin way. He would never get straight to the point when he wanted to talk on a personal level. She appreciated his effort but she was having mixed thoughts and feelings about the occurrence between them. Starfire knew that Robin never meant to blow up at her but she never saw any progress. She never noticed him changing his ways. There was always the same routine. He would yell, she would get upset, he would feel guilty and apologize but then the mundane habit would repeat itself a couple of days later.

Sometimes, she just got tired with the process. She always forgave him so easily too. Obviously, she could never stay mad at him for very long. She knew he never meant the things he said because she knew that he cared for her a lot and would never choose to willingly upset her. He was her best friend; she never wanted to put their friendship on the line. It was why they were both so forgiving of each other. Their close friendship was the foundation of their whole relationship and she always feared that staying angry would ultimately cause fractures within their deep connection.

However, a part of her considered that this had been the first time he had yelled at her whilst they had been a couple. She wondered if it would be the same as when they were simply friends. She hoped not.

"Star?" Robin's voice filled her thoughts. She shook her head and blinked at him,

"Apologies Robin... What did you say?" She returned,

"Did you want the sweet popcorn or the salted popcorn?" He repeated, shaking two bags at her.

"Oh... I suppose both would give us the choice of variety..." She answered, slowly taking the bags from him.

Robin frowned and felt a pang in his chest. He didn't want things to be rocky between them; not so early on in their newfound relationship. He hadn't meant to shout at her. The moment she had walked out of the door, he had understood his familiar mistake. He knew that things had to change. Robin was fully aware of how often he hurt Starfire by yelling at her and making her feel like she was nothing when in reality, she was everything to him. She was his last thought at night before he fell asleep and his first thought in the morning when he woke up. He cared deeply for her and he had already vowed to himself to channel his frustrations in a better way. He couldn't keep taking it out on Starfire. It wasn't fair when she was actually the only one who cared enough to try her hardest to calm him down.

Robin watched her carefully as she moved around the kitchen, busying herself so that she could avoid the problem that they both knew they needed to address. As she reached for a large bottle of soda, he softly touched her arm which caused her to stop and look at him with a somewhat sad expression,

"Star..." He exhaled, allowing his shoulders to slump,

She turned to him which gave him the signal that she was listening to what he had to say. Robin inhaled and stood up straight,

"Starfire, about earlier... I-" Robin was cut off by his girlfriend,

"It does not matter, Robin." She returned, looking at the ground,

"Yes it does." His tone was firm which caused Starfire to look back up at him with question in her eyes, "I got angry that Slade was back and I never should have taken it out on you. I know you were only trying to help me... And I'm really sorry."

At this part, Starfire would usually crack and accept his apology but today, she stood her ground.

"Robin..." She sighed and hugged herself, "It truly does not matter because I have realized that it will not change."

Robin cocked his head to the side slightly, "What do you mean?"

Starfire blinked at him and furrowed her eyebrows as she expressed what she had been thinking the whole afternoon, "It is never going to change... This..." She gestured between them with her hand, "It is what always happens. You apologize and I forgive you and then it all occurs again within a few days. I know now that I must simply learn to deal with it."

Robin blinked at her. He didn't want her to feel like that; just waiting for the next time he got annoyed and took it out on her. He wanted her to enjoy being in a relationship with him and not feel like she was simply tolerating it. Her words made his heart sink and he realized that he needed to step up if he wanted to keep her by his side.

"Star..." He said in a small voice but she looked away from him, picked up the bowls full of popcorn and exited the kitchen area.

Starfire decided to sit on the end, beside Raven. The dark girl was the only one that Starfire felt close enough to when she and Robin were experiencing problems. Cyborg sat in the middle between Raven and Beast Boy with Robin sitting on the other end of the sofa, beside Beast Boy.

"Alright dudes and dudettes! Time for some gore!" Beast Boy cackled, wriggling his eyebrows at Raven who rolled her eyes but inwardly, she gave into a small smile.

Starfire held a cheerful expression as they began to get into the film but Robin kept his eyes on her the entire time. He didn't care about the movie; all he could think about was what Starfire had said.

Near the end of the movie, Robin noticed that Starfire wasn't even watching it anymore. She had her eyes downcast at her hands which rested in her lap, idly. He hated seeing her so low and knowing that he had caused her to be unhappy made him feel even worse. He sighed and leaned back against the sofa.

Suddenly, there was a jolt in the music of the movie and Starfire glanced around, realizing that the movie had finished.

"Aw man! That was so awesome!" Cyborg cheered, nudging Beast Boy enthusiastically,

"Right!? The part where his head exploded!?" Beast Boy returned, crouching up on the sofa,

"And the bit with that girl's leg!"

"That part was crazy!"

Cyborg chuckled and glanced at the other three titans, "What'd you guys think?" He grinned,

Starfire inhaled deeply and forced a big smile upon her face. She gently clapped her hands and nodded to him, "It was wonderfully horrifying, friend!" She commented,

Robin shrugged, "It was okay." His tone was quiet, like he couldn't care less. Starfire looked at him and he had no problem staring back at her. He wanted her to know that he had taken her words on board and was serious about making a difference.

"It was pretty standard." Raven remarked, folding her arms,

"You always say that about horrors, Raven," Beast Boy shot back,

"That's because they're nothing spectacular,"

"What about Wicked Scary? That had you scared, remember?" He paused, "Your house of horrors gave me nightmares for weeks."

Raven considered that and allowed a small smile to form on her lips, "That was the exception."

Beast Boy grinned back at her but Raven made her smile vanish quickly after it had formed. She still had thoughts and feelings regarding their argument and she didn't want to just let them go and forget all about it.

Cyborg stretched his arms above his head and yawned noisily, "Well, I don't know about the rest of ya'll, but I'm beat!" He informed them, getting up from the sofa with a sigh,

"I too am filled with fatigue." Starfire announced, getting up from the sofa as the others did,

Robin made his way over to her whilst Cyborg and Beast Boy were chuckling about another horror movie that had blood which resembled ketchup. Starfire glanced at Robin with curiosity,

"Maybe... I could walk you to your room?" He offered, with a small smile,

Starfire witnessed how hard he was trying to fix this so she nodded and returned the little smile. Robin seemed significantly relieved by that as he stood up straight and allowed the grin to widen a little more.

They bid goodnight to the others and walked out of OPS together. As they wandered down the corridor, all that could be heard was the sound of their footsteps. Neither of them really knew what to say to each other. They both wanted to resolve the issue which they faced but it was difficult to start talking about it.

The two of them soon reached Starfire's door and there was a long pause as they both waited for something to happen. After a moment, Starfire sighed and looked away from him,  
"Well... Goodnight, Robin..." She said, quietly. Starfire turned slightly and took a step closer to her door before she felt a gloved hand grasp her own.

Starfire turned her head towards Robin who looked at her with hope that she would stay and listen to what he had to say. He gulped and took both of her delicate hands in his and stared into her beautiful emerald orbs,

"Star, look... I'm so sorry that I take my frustration out on you time and time again. I never knew how upset it made you. I mean... I want you to be happy with me, not waiting to see when I'll yell at you next..."

Starfire blinked at him for a moment, "Robin, I am happy with you... Very happy actually. I simply wish you would not get angry with me when I have not done anything but attempt to help."

Robin took a step closer to her, "I know... And I promise, I'm gonna stop doing that. I know it's not fair of me to do that to you when you're just looking out for me." He paused, "I really am going to stop because I don't want to keep hurting you."

Starfire stared at him intensely for a moment, "... Do you truly promise, Robin?" She paused, "Because... I cannot keep doing the same thing each time-"

"Starfire, I promise you that I'm not going to get angry at you whenever I get annoyed because of another criminal."

The alien princess knew that her exterior was cracking and she allowed the tiniest of smiles to form upon her lips. Robin leaned his forehead against hers and caught the small smile. He matched it immediately.

The two of them slowly leaned in and pressed their lips together, delving into the ecstasy that the kiss brought them. Robin bravely cupped the side of her face with his hand and continued to brush his lips against hers. Starfire giggled and broke the kiss after a moment. Robin smiled dreamily when he heard her girly signature laugh.

She smiled at him as they gazed at each other, reveling in their affections for one another. Robin nervously rubbed the back of his neck and took a small step back from her. Her smile only grew; that was  _her_ Robin. The boy who got nervous too easily but wasn't afraid to show her romantic gestures at the same time.

"I'll see you in the morning, Star..." He said in a hushed tone after remembering that it was late,

"Goodnight, Robin..." She returned, slowly pulling her hand away from his.

"Night Starfire..." He stated, watching her as she nodded and slipped inside her room.

Robin sighed in content. He was happy that he had started to fix things with Starfire. He knew it would be relatively easy not to yell at Starfire. After learning how deeply it affected her, he didn't want to keep doing that to her. Temper was something that Robin had always had a bit of difficulty with but Starfire reminded him that he was more than just a hero who got angry every time a criminal showed up. After all, having her by his side just ensured that any criminal they  _did_  face would be taken down easily enough.

He turned on his heel and headed in the direction of his own room; it had been an exhausting day after all.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raven and Beast Boy have a moment and the beginning of a heart to heart but Raven refuses to acknowledge what may lie between them, much to Starfire's exasperation in particular.

The warm rays of early sunlight trickled through the gap of the curtains within the green changeling's bedroom and washed across his face. Beast Boy groaned at the warmth and turned so that he could bury his face into his soft pillow. Besides playing video games and gobbling up tofu; sleeping was one of his favorite activities.

With a heavy sigh, Beast Boy sat up and ran a hand through his mess of hair. He narrowed his eyes at the glittering sunlight that was bathing his clothes that were in a heap on the floor and the wrinkled covers that were lightly sprawled over his lower half. He glanced over at his alarm clock which read '6:30am' and he frowned. He had never woken up this early; he usually slept into mid morning at least, sometimes even sleeping into the afternoon. Beast Boy gently rubbed his eyes and yawned as he adjusted to the sun as it continued its slow ascent above the city.

For a brief moment, he thought about rolling over and drifting back to sleep but a feeling in his gut told him to get up. He knew that only one other person would be up at this kind of time and Beast Boy was well aware that he still needed to mend things with her.

Their argument had not escaped his mind. He tried to shake it off; like all of their bickering however, he realized why he was unable to do so. He knew why he felt so guilty; his words had deeply hurt Raven and the changeling felt worse about it because of one reason in particular. For a while now, Beast Boy had started to develop deeper feelings for his mysterious teammate. At first, he had rejected the very idea of feeling anything other than friendship for Raven because it was such an unlikely future. The two of them were complete opposites and it was hard to imagine the two of them together, at least it was for him. Soon enough however, he began to notice the little things that he had always liked about her.

Beast Boy constantly smiled at how beautiful she was and what was humorous was that she didn't even know it herself. He admired the way that she kept herself so calm and collected most of the time and even when she did get angry, he was in awe of how passionate she could be about certain discussions. He wasn't exactly sure how deep his feelings for Raven ran but he was pretty sure he was now past the stage of having a crush on her although; he didn't know if it was love or not.

He shook his head and decided that above everything else that he felt, he was experiencing guilt for the things he had said to her and with that weighing on his heart and mind, he slid out of bed and exited his bedroom.

Beast Boy quickly morphed into a bloodhound and sniffed around the hallway which led towards Raven's room. When he reached her door, he learned that she was not inside and he decided that there would only be one other place that she would be to gain peace of mind.

Raven kept her eyes closed and breathed calmly as she hovered, cross legged above the ground. The roof was one of her favorite places because she could be completely alone; it was spacious and the only real sounds that could be heard were the waves crashing against the rocks below.

A light breeze picked Raven's blue cloak up and let it gently sway through the morning air. In contrast, she felt the summer sunrise against her cheeks, causing warmth to tingle through her body.

As relaxed as she was, concentrating on her meditation was still proving to be extremely difficult. She was beginning to wonder if the stubborn memory of the argument with Beast Boy would ever cease and allow her to meditate peacefully. She growled as she gave up on trying to meditate although her eyes remained shut until she felt a presence behind her; one that made her suddenly nervous.

"Raven?" Beast Boy began, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck with his signature toothy grin plastered on his face,

Raven's eyes shot open as her name rolled off of his tongue. She sighed, understanding that he probably didn't even see the difference in the dynamics between them which she couldn't help but feel sad about. Raven set her feet on the ground and turned to leave.

She had only taken a couple of steps before she felt Beast Boy grip her hand tightly, stopping her in her tracks. Her cheeks immediately burned; he knew how Raven felt about other people touching her and being in such close proximity to her.

The dark girl suddenly turned her head to look at him, her eye brow raised nervously. Her expression didn't hold any anger, just shock at his actions. This was clearly a good sign for Beast Boy.

Without faltering, Beast Boy looked directly into her beautiful cobalt eyes and although a vibrant blush was spreading over his cheeks, he remained serious as he spoke, "Raven... Look, about what I said a few weeks ago when we got back from Tokyo-" He was cut off,

"Beast Boy, it doesn't matter-" Raven shook her head,

"Yes it does, Raven," He paused as she stared at him, her expression completely softening, "I know for a fact that I hurt you with what I said. But you have to know that I didn't mean anything that I said. The argument just got heated and I shouldn't have said those things because none of it was true. I mean, any guy would be  _lucky_  to have you because you're smart, pretty and you're caring... Uh... Well, yeah... Um... You know, you're... You're cool, y'know... Uh..."

As Beast Boy nervously babbled and trailed off, the blush on his cheeks intensified and he released her hand and rubbed his neck sheepishly. Raven couldn't help but allow a small smile to present itself upon her lips; it was fun to watch Beast Boy trip over his words and become anxious around her. Usually, he had such a confident aura and when he acted that way, Raven would usually roll her eyes and brush it off.

However, Raven couldn't simply ignore what he had said. Her heart raced with the knowledge of what he thought about her.  _Pretty_  was definitely something that didn't go unnoticed. She had never considered herself as pretty. Raven had always identified Starfire as being the only pretty one on the team.

Raven didn't really know what to do with the information either; she had a light blush across her face but she didn't really know if she should press that part of his apology. Before she could contemplate what she would say next, she heard Beast Boy deeply inhale,

"I guess what I'm trying to say is... I'm really sorry for the things I said, Raven," He sighed, offering her a small apologetic smile,

The dark girl returned the small smile and gently rubbed her arm, "I'm sorry for that argument too... I was just irritated from the journey home. I didn't mean to lash out like I did."

Beast Boy's smile widened and Raven could have sworn that his ears perked up at the ease in their friendship. She felt the heat rise in her cheeks as they stared at each other in a comfortable moment of silence. The smiles remained upon their faces; it was like they had come to an equal understanding of one another.

This moment was testing Raven in particular; part of the reason that she so strongly denied any kind of feelings towards Beast Boy was because she was scared of what might happen if she let herself feel too much all at once.

Without warning, one of the wooden chairs that they kept on the roof when they felt like eating outside suddenly exploded into tiny splinters and caught within the breeze.

Both of the titans visibly jumped and whilst Beast Boy stared at the broken chair intently, Raven pulled her hood up over her head to hide the deepening blush that was spreading across her face.

"What was that!?" Beast Boy fretted, jogging over to the remaining pieces of the chair,

"No idea... Maybe it was something to do with the... heat..." Raven rolled her eyes at her own terrible suggestion. It was somewhat logical; something like that could have happened but Raven was well aware of what had really happened.

"Mm... Probably. Maybe we should bring the chairs in when we're not out here..." Beast Boy murmured, shrugging and wandering back over to her.

Raven quietly sighed in relief that Beast Boy had simply gone along with what she had said. She knew that  _she_  had caused the chair to explode into a million tiny pieces. Raven gulped as she thought about how worse it could have been.

When she experienced intense emotions, objects usually ended up being destroyed. It was something that she had had trouble controlling for a long time. She had hoped that it would be taken care of after she defeated Trigon considering being free from him had allowed her powers to develop a lot more than before. However, it was still a dilemma that she needed to understand and overcome.

She sighed inwardly. Raven knew how she felt about the changeling that stood before her; deep down, she knew there were fluttering feelings for him but she was afraid that she might lose control of her powers if she allowed herself to be captured by her emotions concerning Beast Boy.

Raven shook her head ever so slightly. It was best if she just kept everything neutral between them. Her feelings for him didn't matter as far as she was concerned; it was  _safer_  that way.

"Do you want to go back downstairs?" Raven asked, keeping her signature monotone,

"Sure!" Beast Boy chirped, "Ooh! There's a Mega Heckle marathon on TV that's starting soon! Let's go, Rae!"

With that, he sprinted back downstairs and through the hallways, leaving Raven completely alone.

Normally, she would have scolded him for calling her that but for some reason, it didn't irritate her so much now. She cast her eyes downwards as a timid smile appeared upon her features. She couldn't pinpoint the exact reason why she liked Beast Boy but she believed it had something to do with him knowing the difference between the times to be childish and the times to be serious. He was the happy go lucky teammate, alongside Starfire of course but he rarely worried about anything. He was laid back and dealt with things as they came. Raven pondered that for a moment; maybe it was admiration that she felt for Beast Boy too as he freely allowed himself to be like that.

She quietly laughed at the thought of Beast Boy influencing her to try and be a little more relaxed. They had a strange connection but it wasn't unwelcome at all.

Starfire smiled as she stretched her arms above her head and felt the warmth of the sunlight wash over her form. She snuggled beneath the covers slightly as she allowed her arms to lightly rest across her chest and stomach. She sighed out of content and blinked her emerald eyes before opening them fully. Everyone seemed a lot calmer since they had all acknowledged their equal levels of stress since returning from Tokyo. However, watching a movie together had made them all mellow out to a certain extent. Of course, they were all slightly hesitant with the news of Slade's return but they had all agreed that it wasn't worth getting worked up over. He may have been one of their toughest criminals but they were prepared to fight him once again if it meant protecting the city.

The Princess floated off of her bed and neatly set the covers down, giving Silkie a small kiss on the top of his head as she exited her bedroom. She smiled absently as her mutant worm momentarily gurgled before continuing to happily doze upon one of her pink cushions.

Starfire hummed a quiet tune as she drifted through the hallways before entering OPS and smiling brightly at the sight of her friends. She glanced at Cyborg and Beast Boy who were lounging on the sofa, watching TV with bowls of popcorn glued to their hands and she proceeded to look over at Raven who sat in the corner of the room with her nose in a large book; something that was  _definitely_  not uncommon to see.

"Good morning, friends!" She said, cheerfully,

Beast Boy lifted his head and flashed her a toothy grin, "Hey Star!" He called, turning back to the TV straight afterwards,

Cyborg copied Beast Boy's actions but instead, saluted Starfire jokingly and grinned, "Mornin' Star," He greeted,

Raven nodded to Starfire and put her book down for a moment. She stood up and wandered over to the exuberant girl with a small smile poised upon her lips,

"Good morning, Starfire," She said in her usual low tone,

Starfire smiled and followed Raven as she moved into the kitchen. She watched as Raven began making herbal tea for herself and she was so transfixed on what her friend was doing that she almost didn't hear her speak,

"You must have been tired last night... You're usually up right after me..." Raven observed,

Starfire shrugged, "I had a pleasant slumber. Everything has calmed within the tower so I felt most relaxed."

Raven nodded and briefly eyed something on the counter. Starfire tilted her head and understood Raven's subtle signal to look down. She raised an eyebrow as she noticed a plate with a stack of mustard covered pancakes on it.

"Oh yeah... Robin made you those before he went down to the gym." Raven stated, taking a sip of tea.

Starfire shyly smiled at his thoughtfulness and glanced back up at Raven,

"So... Is everything okay with you guys now?" Raven queried, hoping that the two had recovered from their dispute,

Starfire nodded slowly, "I believe so, yes," She responded, grabbing the knife and fork that lay beside the plate of pancakes,

Raven smiled at knowing her best friend's mood had picked up once again, "Good,"

"How are you, Raven?" Starfire mumbled around a mouthful of pancakes, "Are you also on better terms with...  _Certain_  people?"

The empath stared at Starfire for a moment before finely shrugging her shoulders in a nonchalant manner,

"Actually, we sorted things out..." Raven replied, keeping her voice down so that Beast Boy wouldn't hear,

Starfire's eyes lit up at the news and she offered Raven an extensively cheerful grin, "Oh! That is glorious news, friend!" She paused and smirked, "Did you have more thoughts on what I suggested when we were by the waterfalls?"

Raven almost dropped her cup at the reminder of her feelings for Beast Boy and she couldn't help the vibrant blush that slowly spread over her cheeks,

"I told you before, Starfire... I don't think of him that way and I never will." Raven stopped and glanced downwards, "It wouldn't work anyway... We're too different..."

Starfire furrowed her eyebrows in concern for her friend, "Raven..." She said, quietly,  
Raven shook her head and looked up so that blue melded with green in an instant, "It doesn't matter because there  _are_  no feelings there."

Starfire nodded but she still wasn't convinced. However, she had learned a long time ago when to let things go with Raven and she had also realized when Raven didn't want to talk about certain things; feelings towards Beast Boy clearly being one of them.

The dark girl focused her eyes on the beverage within her hands as she immersed herself with deep thoughts surrounding the shapeshifter that was currently sprawled over the sofa.

Deep down, Raven knew that she liked Beast Boy; there was no getting away from that revelation but she had considered all types of reasons why it could never work. First and foremost, she believed that she was too "creepy" for someone like Beast Boy. He was so energetic and bubbly whereas, she liked her alone time and she enjoyed reading in favor of playing video games or watching movies. Raven wondered whether or not he would even think of her as anything other than a friend.

Something which also stuck in the back of Raven's mind was the relationship experience that Beast Boy had had in the past. Terra had meant a lot to him and Raven knew it all too well. He had been a complete wreck after Terra sacrificed herself to save the city and although Raven's feelings towards him at the time were only faint, it was painful to watch him struggle through the ordeal.

However, Terra had reappeared a short while before they had ventured off to Japan and Raven feared that Beast Boy would pursue the idea of trying to make her remember a life she didn't recall having again. She wondered if he could ever have feelings for her that were even close to that of what he felt for Terra. Raven hated comparing herself to someone else in such a way but it was a valid fear.

The empath shook her head to clear her mind of thoughts surrounding the changeling. She glanced over at Starfire who was happily munching her way through the stack of pancakes that Robin had made for her. She allowed a ghost of a smile to flash across her lips; whilst she was ecstatic for Robin and Starfire finally becoming a couple, she half envied them. They were so lucky to have found each other. Raven was exceptionally close with the both of them and she knew how much they cared for each other. It was difficult, not knowing, if she was ever going to experience a similar type of relationship with anyone. Robin and Starfire had a very powerful bond which was clear for everyone to see and although it had been tested in the past, it was amazing to see how they had always overcome problems. Raven considered that for a moment; perhaps their overall relationship worked so well because they were best friends for such a long time before they confessed to any other types of feelings.

"Friend, are you the okay?" Starfire's delicate voice pierced through Raven's thoughts like a needle popping a balloon,

"Huh?" Raven murmured, unsure of what Starfire had just said,

"Are you alright? You seemed to be doing the spacing out." Starfire replied, resting a gentle hand upon her shoulder,

"I'm fine. Sorry... I guess I was spacing out a little..." Raven answered,

Starfire beamed back at her, "That is okay." She paused and let her hand fall from Raven's shoulder, "Please, do you know where Robin is? I wish to thank him for the delicious pancakes that he cooked for me,"

Raven sipped her tea before she raised her head to glance at Starfire, "Try the gym," She suggested, earning a short and appreciative nod from the Princess,

Starfire turned as she approached the hallway which led down to the gym. She couldn't wait to see Robin as she had started feeling a lot better about their relationship now that they had recognized particular issues and agreed to fix them together. She couldn't help but blush at how thoughtful he had been to make her pancakes for breakfast with her favorite tangy condiment splashed over the top of them. Starfire smiled to herself as she continued walking towards the gym; she had missed spending time with Robin.

Since returning from Japan, the two of them hadn't really spent much time together like they always had before. She longed to simply sit with him and talk about an assortment of things, preferably whilst watching the sun go down.

She stood up straight as she waited for the automatic door leading into the gym to open. With a subtle whoosh sound, the door opened and Starfire only allowed herself to take one small step into the room so that she didn't startle her fearless leader whilst he continued to complete his training session.

Starfire leaned against the wall by the door and found that she was unable to take her eyes off of her boyfriend as he executed three back flips perfectly in order to avoid the explosive discs that were being pelted at him from the machine. He panted as he landed on his feet after the third and final back flip but he kept his fists up as to defend himself from anything that he did not entirely expect to attack him.

Robin evaded a couple more explosives as he dove to the floor and rolled away from the blasts. He jumped to his feet and sprinted across the room, turning and successfully dodging more explosive pellets whilst also throwing a couple of his own ice discs, stopping the pellets mid way and disabling them as the ice covered them completely.

Starfire watched Robin in awe; she very much admired his agile skills and abilities. He was able to complete martial arts moves with little effort and his level of stealth and speed was very inspiring. Starfire found it amazing how he had trained himself so well; he was as refined as the rest of them and he did so without having powers to call his own. She decided that was what led him to be such a wonderfully determined leader too; it was simply in his nature.

The boy wonder sighed loudly as the session finished and he rested his hands on his knees in an attempt to get his breath back.

Starfire bit her lip and grabbed a bottle of water and a small white towel for him. She smiled and lightly clapped her hands in recognition of his hard work through his training session.

Robin immediately stood up straight and glanced over at Starfire who was standing idly by the door. He felt his throat become even drier and a blush crept over his cheeks,

"S-Star?" He stammered, unaware that she had been watching, "How long have you been standing there?"

"Not for very long, Robin... Apologies for intruding-" She replied but Robin smiled and crossed the space between them,

"Don't worry about it. It was nice to get applauded," He chuckled,

Starfire giggled and handed Robin the small towel and the bottle of water. He breathed out in relief and threw the towel over his shoulder for a brief moment as he unscrewed the bottle cap. He gulped down at least half of the water and deeply exhaled after he pulled the bottle away from his lips,

"Thanks, Star. I really needed that," He huffed, taking the towel and gently dabbing his face with it,

"I welcome you," She paused and beamed at him, "You have very careful and refined abilities, Robin. It was inspiring to watch you,"

Robin softly smiled at her comment and he felt a familiar flutter in his stomach. He couldn't help the way he felt when she complimented him. Her words would always mean a lot to him and for some reason, he knew that she was speaking from the heart; she wasn't just saying these things because she felt obligated to do so.

"Thank you, Starfire." He returned, smirking at her playfully. He fought the urge to grab her and kiss her, unsure if she would appreciate it very much with him being kind of sweaty and breathless.

As if she had read his mind, she raised her index finger in the adorable way that Robin loved when she either had a sudden thought or a carefully prepared question, "Oh! I almost forgot!" She informed him,

Robin raised an eyebrow but before he could question her, Starfire grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him in for a tender kiss. He responded almost immediately by returning the kiss with an equal level of eagerness and affection. His hands found Starfire's waist and he held her closely. Starfire giggled against Robin as she released his shirt and slid her hands up to his shoulders.

After a moment, Starfire broke the kiss and smiled at him sweetly, leaving Robin slightly disorientated,

"What was that for?" Robin chuckled, brushing some of her auburn hair behind her ear,

"I wished to thank you for my pancakes; they tasted wonderful!" She explained,

Robin gave her waist a gentle squeeze and smiled at her, "Well... I just wanted to do something for you to show that I meant what I said last night... Things are gonna be different. I promise."

Starfire stared at him for a moment with a faint smile gracing her lips; something in Robin's voice told her that he was being truthful, that he really was trying and she wholeheartedly appreciated his efforts.

Her smile slowly grew and she took a step closer towards him and collected him into a gentle yet loving embrace. Robin instantly wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her as closely as he dared. He closed his eyes behind his mask as her arms wrapped around his neck which allowed him to inhale her perfect scent. The strawberry aroma that was Starfire filled his senses as he buried his face against her bare shoulder. He absently noted how soft and smooth her skin was against his cheek.

Robin sighed in content. He deeply cared for Starfire and he really didn't want to mess things up with her or push her away. She was always the one who supported him through everything and he never wanted to lose that. It was a difficult thing for him to simply let go of his heroic instincts; he was aware that there was more to being a hero as Starfire had made him understand that concept in Tokyo. However, he still found it hard to express himself after years of training to suppress such feelings, although, he had confidence that he would be able to overcome this, especially with Starfire's guidance.

He smiled at the thought of how much she contrasted with him in that aspect. She was so easygoing and she allowed herself to open up and show how she felt without hesitation. Her energetic personality was practically fueled by her bursting emotions, which was definitely something Robin had always treasured about her. She always seemed to find the perfect balance between different traits; she knew the right time to be her normal bubbly self but she also knew when she had to be serious and focused.

Robin was so deep in thought about his girlfriend that he just about heard her as she spoke to him, "I know you are trying Robin and it means the world to me. Truly, it does." She stated, quietly,

His breathing slightly hitched in his throat as he noticed that her eyes fell upon his lips. He couldn't deny that kissing Starfire was absolute bliss; her lips were warm and soft and Robin felt every muscle in his body relax at the intimate contact.

He didn't wait for her to take the initiative and proceeded to cup her face with his hands before he softly pressed his lips against hers, reveling in the sensation that surged through his body and set each nerve alight. Robin shifted his arms so that he held her waist and he continued to pull her body against his.

Starfire resisted the grin that was threatening to form upon her face; being so close to Robin gave her a heightened sense of joy and kissing him in such a way only fueled the idyllic feeling.

She ran her fingertips across the exposed skin on his arms between his sleeves and his gloves which caused electricity to bolt through Robin's nerves, leading him to physically shiver ever so slightly. Starfire wound her arms around his strong shoulders and absently let her fingers rake through his ebony locks.

Something ignited within Robin's chest and he gently pushed Starfire against the wall. His kisses suddenly became more passionate; like kissing her was the solution to every single one of his problems. The world seemed to slip into a blurred mess as all he could sense was  _her_.

Starfire had absolutely no objections to Robin's continuation of the assault on her lips. This was a special moment for them both, so she believed; it was their first heated kiss; one that had ounces of their care and affection for one another injected into it.

Suddenly, the gym flashed red and the alarm sounded which led Starfire to break away from the kiss immediately. The two of them breathed heavily and neither of them could deny the crimson flush that was equally spreading over their cheeks.

Robin sighed and rested a hand against the wall, next to Starfire's shoulder. He meekly looked up at her with a small smirk upon his lips,

"God, I hate that alarm sometimes." He puffed, causing Starfire to giggle.

She softly kissed his cheek and ran her delicate fingertips along his jaw, "I too dislike the alarm. It is quite inconvenient, yes?" She added,

"Completely."

Starfire offered him a small smile and took his hand within hers, "Come, let us go and see which criminal we must face,"

Robin nodded and regained some of his logic and focus which would be mandatory for the mission. With that, the two of them marched out of the gym towards OPS to find out which enemy they were going to be facing.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin and Starfire delve a little more into crossing that boundary between what they were as friends and what they are now as a couple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I originally said I'd update this twice a week but actually, I think I'm just gonna post a chapter daily because it doesn't seem to make a difference when I post lmao.
> 
> As previously stated, the whole story is already completed and over on ff.net if anyone just wants to binge rather than wait. ^.^

Raven and Starfire groaned as they sat up after taking a serious hit from Cinderblock. He had grabbed them and thrown them down onto the cold hard ground as if they were mere rag dolls. Raven immediately allowed her healing power to radiate throughout her body, fixing the scrapes and aches that she had just endured.

She glanced over at Starfire and noticed that the Princess winced when she tried to move her arm. Starfire's hand quickly flew to her shoulder and she closed her eyes tightly as the pain hit her. Raven crawled over to her best friend and her hand lit up with a strange light blue coloring. Starfire watched as Raven gently brought her hand down upon her damaged shoulder and slowly began to heal it.

Starfire sighed as the pain began to fade away until it was completely gone. She tested her joint out by shrugging her shoulder up and down. She beamed back at Raven,

"Thank you, Raven," Starfire breathed, helping Raven to stand up, "That is the shoulder that I always seem to injure,"

Raven waved a hand at her, signalling that it was no problem but her attention was suddenly pulled back to the battle that was still going on as she heard Beast Boy growl. He was in the form of a lion and had used his claws to skid across the ground after being swatted by Cinderblock as if he were a pesky fly.

The empath could feel frustration rolling off of Beast Boy; and this wasn't exactly new. Depending on the animal that he chose to morph into, Raven could always feel the emotions that were associated with said animal. However, this frustration didn't seem to be because of their current mission, it seemed to be due to his own inner conflict. Of course, Raven knew better than to just read his mind but she wished she could know if it was a similar reason as to why she too had been feeling slightly aggravated.

Raven didn't realize that she had been staring into space whilst her thoughts bombarded her until she heard Cyborg shout out to her,

"Yo! Raven! We could kinda use your help here!" Cyborg yelled, nodding his head towards Cinderblock who was being restrained by Cyborg, Starfire and Robin.

She shook her head and nodded, knowing what she was being asked to do. She deeply inhaled as her eyes glowed white and black energy surrounded a nearby street lamp. She ripped it out of the ground and wrapped it around Cinderblock's torso and arms, trapping him so that he could no longer thrash and hit out at any of them.

Beast Boy watched with a smile on his lips as Raven effortlessly used her powers to capture Cinderblock within the metal post. He admired her ability to control her powers. He had learned a long time ago that Raven's powers were not easy to understand and they were even harder to manage. Before he delved too deeply into his fascination surrounding Raven, he reminded himself that he still had a part to play in taking down Cinderblock.

"Beast Boy! Now!" Robin commanded, gritting his teeth as he continued to pull on the rope that was twisted around Cinderblock beneath the lamp post that Raven had wound around him. They didn't want him breaking free from their grasp anytime soon; he was a difficult monster to apprehend due to his intense level of strength.

Beast Boy gave into his signature grin and morphed into a rhino without delay. With a loud exhale of breath, he charged full speed at Cinderblock who was still tossing and turning as he tried to free himself from the restraints.

The changeling head butted the rock monster with such force that Cinderblock lost his balance and fell with a mighty thud against the ground. The street seemed to shake briefly from the impact of Cinderblock's body hitting the ground.

Cinderblock groaned before he slipped into an unconscious state, causing all of the titans to breathe a sigh of relief. Criminals such as Plasmus and Cinderblock were always hard to deal with because of their size. Each of them had to give their all and work with each other in their efforts to bring the monsters down.

As Cinderblock's body relaxed, something rolled out of his hand. Robin was the first to wander over to it and he gently tapped the ball with the front of his boot. He crouched down and picked it up, narrowing his eyes as he spotted the signature 'S' that they were all familiar with.

Robin stood up straight as the others crowded around him, also curious about the device. Cyborg took it from Robin and scanned it with his robotic eye,

"What is it?" Robin asked, crossing his arms over his chest, already hating the fact that the small device was a connection to Slade,

"It's a holographic ball; similar to the kind that you used when you were Red X," Cyborg answered, turning the ball in his hand to get a better look at it,

Robin twitched ever so slightly at the mention of his brief time as Red X. He had regretted that ever since because of how he had deceived them. He could still remember how betrayed they all felt after he lied to them; he especially couldn't forget how it had hurt Starfire. Her trust in him had taken a hit the day that they had found out the truth but he felt privileged when she had forgiven him for lying.

"That's what I thought, but..." Robin trailed off as the ball opened up within Cyborg's hand,

An opaque image of Slade standing in a dark room with his hands behind his back in that smug way of his appeared in the center of the open ball. Robin glared at the hologram and gritted his teeth,

"Slade..." He hissed, the mere sight of him putting the boy wonder on edge,

"So good to see you all again." Slade sneered,

"Why did you release them all?" Robin growled, earning a glance of concern from Starfire which didn't go unnoticed by Slade,

"Robin, you know I don't reveal plans quite so quickly. All in good time." Slade replied, smoothly,

"I thought you were done pushing us, Slade. You helped us when it was the end of the world, remember?" Cyborg interjected,

"Yes, I remember... But, trying to destroy you is much more enjoyable." Slade responded, tilting his head tauntingly,

"We will stop you from whatever you're planning, Slade." Robin vowed, clenching his fist that remained by his side,

"Yes, just like all the other times that you've "stopped" me," Slade mocked,

Starfire bit her lip and fought the urge to take Robin's hand and calm his ruffled emotions. She knew how angry he became when Slade taunted him like that. Starfire got angry too but Robin bested them all in how riled up he got after conversations with the masked madman.

"Oh, I almost forgot to congratulate you, Robin, on your newfound relationship with your fellow team mate," Slade eyed Starfire, "Such good news,"

Starfire felt her heart beat faster with his goading words. There was no doubt in her mind that Robin's blood was boiling due to Slade's blatant use of such a sensitive and personal topic. She quietly sighed, knowing that he would most likely have something to say about that later.

"I'll keep in touch, titans." Slade informed them before the feed cut out and the image disappeared.

Cyborg growled and crushed the device into tiny pieces which slipped through his fingers, onto the road. He exhaled noisily, "Sometimes I wonder if he'll ever stop."

"Of course he won't. He's a criminal; they don't stop because they're never after anything in particular." Robin murmured, icily,

Raven crossed her arms over her chest, "We'll have to worry about this later. If we don't take Cinderblock down to the prison cell soon, he'll wake up and we'll have to battle him all over again." She reminded them, eyeing the monster carefully,

Robin huffed and turned to them, "Do you guys think you can handle it without me?" He paused, "I want to start running checks on CCTV footage to see if Slade has had a personal hand in anything recently."

The remaining titans nodded in response to their leader before Robin turned and started up the R- Cycle. Not even a minute had passed before he had sped away into the distance with his thoughts still focused on Slade.

Starfire watched with a concerned expression as Robin left the scene in a bitter mood. She knew that Slade continuously provoked Robin with little effort and she wished more than anything that she could stop that from happening. He was usually quite a gentle and sweet person but Slade always seemed to bring the worst out in him. None of them had forgotten how obsessed Robin had got with Slade in the past.

Although she knew that he would try to push her away without meaning to, Starfire wanted to be with him. If anyone was able to make him see any sense at all where Slade was concerned; it was her. Starfire didn't want him to be alone within the tower where he would just replay his little conversation with Slade in his head and get all worked up again.

She sighed and turned back towards the others who were setting about moving Cinderblock but she stopped when she came to face Cyborg's chest. She slowly looked up at him as he rested a hand on her shoulder,

"Go," He told her,

"But, you need my assistance-" Starfire began, feeling as though she would be abandoning the others if she were to go and ease Robin's emotions,

"C'mon, Star. Blockhead is out cold; we'll be able to handle it." He paused and offered her a sympathetic smile, "Sides, Robin needs you. He needs you to remind him to chill."

Starfire cast her eyes downwards, wondering if his words were true. Did he need her? Would he even appreciate it if she tried to calm him down? She wasn't so sure.

"Are you certain that you will be alright?" She checked, not wanting them to be shorthanded,

"Positive," Cyborg chuckled, "Now go, girl,"

Starfire gave him a small smile and squeezed the hand that was still on her shoulder to show her thanks. With that, she nodded to him and floated off of the ground and soared through the air, dipping and rising through the puffy clouds on her way back to the tower.

As Starfire approached the doors leading into OPS, she inhaled deeply. She assumed that this wasn't going to be very easy but she hoped it would be better than before; presuming of course that Robin was going to stick to his promise of not yelling directly at her as if blaming her.

She gathered her thoughts and feelings and walked into the room, not surprised by the sight that she was met with. Robin had camera feeds projected upon the huge glass window and he also had three computers on with a range of information displayed upon the screens. The boy wonder himself was sat at one of the computers, whilst narrowing his eyes at the images on the CCTV footage.

Without saying anything, Starfire placed her hands behind her back and slowly wandered over to the monitors. She stood directly beside Robin and simply glanced up at the footage he had up as if examining it for herself.

Robin paused what he was doing and couldn't help but watch his girlfriend as she stood there, analyzing his leads. He wondered why she hadn't tried convincing him not to freak out about Slade yet.

"Why aren't you with the others, taking Cinderblock to jail?" He queried,

Starfire shrugged; a human trait that she had practically mastered, "Cyborg informed me that they could take care of things without my aid. He also told me to come and see if you were the okay..." She replied, finally turning to look at his face,

He frowned as he stood up and leaned against the counter, "Of course I'm not okay, Starfire! Slade is still out there, still trying to cause problems for us!" Robin explained with a slight edge to his voice but it was a different tone. Starfire didn't feel like he was blaming her anymore. She knew that he was simply "venting" as she had heard the others say before.

Again, Starfire said nothing. She  _did_  agree with him after all; Slade was running circles around them once again and he was making them seem like little kids who didn't know what they were doing. She hated the masked villain for all of the terrible things he had done to them and the city in the past.

"Have you found any information about his reappearance which may prove to be valuable?" Starfire questioned,

Robin turned his head to look at her again but this time, his shoulders slumped and his anger towards Slade faded. This was  _Starfire_  and he wanted to keep his promise of not blaming her for things or taking out his anger on her. She deserved more than that; she had always been so supportive of him, especially when it came to dealing with Slade.

He carefully reached out and took her hand in his. She instantly looked down at him as he brushed his thumb across her skin attentively before he brought the back of her hand to his lips and softly kissed it.

Robin kept their fingers intertwined and offered her a small smile which she returned without hesitation.

"I'm sorry..." He said, quietly, "I know you're only trying to be supportive... Like always..."

Starfire's smile widened a little more and she moved closer so that she was able to run her slender fingers through his thick black hair to soothe him as he sat back down. He sighed deeply and closed his eyes behind his mask whilst he leaned his head against her stomach.

"It's just... Whenever Slade comes back, it just reminds me of every time before when we've been unable to catch him." Robin stated and Starfire could hear the venom in his voice when he talked about the villain that they all hated more than anyone else in the world.

The Princess knelt down slightly so that she was eye level with him which caused him to reluctantly blush due to how close she was to him. Such proximity with Starfire always made him nervous due to his strong feelings for her.

"Robin, come with me." She instructed him, gently tugging his hand,

"But, Starfire, I need-" Robin was cut off,

"You need to trust me... Please." She whispered, hoping he would just have faith in her,

He sighed but stood up and allowed her to lead him away from the computers and out of OPS. Robin had a pretty good idea about where they were headed but he didn't want to protest; he wasn't going to fight Starfire because he knew that she always had his best interests at heart.

As they reached the roof, Robin sighed as if a weight had already been lifted by being in that particular location. Starfire smiled to herself; the roof had always been a special place for the two of them. They had had many deep and memorable talks on the roof and in the earlier stages of their friendship; it was the place where Robin would take the time to explain an array of things about Earth to Starfire.

They slowly wandered over to the edge of the roof and sat down, their fingers still entangled together. They both sat cross legged and turned to face each other so that they could speak properly.

"I know this situation is difficult to deal with, Robin..." Starfire pointed out, glancing down at their hands, "Of course, Slade's return is not something to be overlooked... However, I believe that you should try to calm yourself. We need your focus and your guidance so that we can finally stop Slade as a team. I am also aware of how deep your hatred for him runs but you must not let that cloud your judgement and decisions in the near future."

Robin stared at her whilst she openly expressed her thoughts. It was a well known fact that he had trouble keeping his emotions in check when Slade was involved. The notorious criminal had a special way of getting to Robin in particular. However, he knew that Starfire was right. He would be letting Slade win automatically if he allowed himself to get worked up over his actions and his words.

The masked teenager heavily sighed, "I know..." He paused and shook his head, "When he talked about our relationship today, I almost lost it."

"I know... I could see that you were angry from the expression on your face," Starfire replied, squeezing his hand gently.

Robin smiled. He constantly wondered why on earth he deserved to have such an amazingly beautiful girlfriend who also happened to be his best friend. She was supportive and caring and kind and he loved everything about her. She always stood by him and his decisions and choices, even if she didn't completely agree with them but she also knew when to talk him out of his irrational actions.

"I just can't help but think that we're never gonna get him, Star." He breathed, tilting his head to the side. Starfire watched him for a moment before she scooted closer and gently tilted his face up so that he was looking back at her.

"Robin, I have confidence that we will apprehend Slade eventually. He is a complex criminal which makes it difficult to capture him but we will do it. I truly believe that." Starfire whispered, giving him a reassuring smile.

He felt a lot calmer than he had before; being around her was intoxicatingly soothing because she was completely capable of putting things into perspective for him. She was the only person he allowed himself to be like this with. He wouldn't dare allow himself to appear this vulnerable in front of the other titans but he trusted Starfire completely.

Robin's smile returned, "You're amazing, you know that?" He complimented, making Starfire blush,

"I just want you to be at ease Robin... You are so different when you allow such things to irritate you." Starfire clarified,

The boy wonder nodded, "I know and I'm sorry for that, Star," He took a breath, "And you know... I think you're right about catching Slade. It might take a while but I think we can do it too."

Starfire beamed at him, "I know we can."

Robin gently rubbed the tip of his nose against hers. They had subconsciously moved their faces closer together and he wanted to take advantage of that. He took his hands away from hers and cupped her face.

Without hesitation, Robin pressed his lips against Starfire's and he closed his eyes behind his mask as the warm sensation radiated through him. Starfire moved her own hands so that they gently rested against his wrists, coaxing him to continue kissing her.

Robin crushed his lips against hers even harder, trying to mold their lips to one another's as much as possible, radiating undeniable heat between them. Robin's hands slowly slipped from her face and he ran his fingers down her arms until he placed his hands on her tiny waist.

Starfire, on the other hand, went in the opposite direction with her explorations. She rested her hands against Robin's shoulders before she ran her fingers up the back of his neck and into his hair. She smiled against his mouth as she dragged her slender fingers through his mess of black hair.

Without realizing it, the two of them ended up lying on the ground, with Starfire being the one on the bottom. Robin was struggling for breath as the heat between them was becoming extremely intense however; he didn't want to stop. He loved being so close to Starfire more than anything else in the world which apparently included breathing.

He caught her left leg and gently massaged the patch of bare skin between her skirt and the top of her boot which elicited a small moan from Starfire; one that caused a chill to dart down Robin's spine and he knew that he wanted to hear her make the noise again.

The masked teen ran his tongue against her bottom lip, wanting to add something new into their play. They may have had some very passionate sessions over the time they had begun dating however, "making out" had not yet been experimented.

Starfire eeped and broke the kiss, staring up at him with wide eyes.

"Sorry... Was that... You didn't like that?" Robin asked, his cheeks reddening out of embarrassment.

"I... You have not done that before... I was merely unprepared." Starfire replied, smiling to reassure him.

He smiled back at her sheepishly before suddenly realizing the position they were in. Starfire glanced around and soon understand this too. She nervously giggled. Robin decided it probably wouldn't be wise to continue experimenting with "making out" just yet.

Robin gave into a tiny smile as he looked down at her. She looked absolutely radiant; her hair was sprawled over the floor, her lips were swollen, her cheeks were tinged with pink and her eyes portrayed the warmth she felt towards him.

"Sorry... It's just..." Robin trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly,

Starfire sat up and smiled patiently at him, "I know... It is easy to get carried away, yes?"

"Exactly and I don't think we're quite ready to... Uh..." The blush seemed to spread over his whole face, or at least, that's what it felt like.

The Princess brushed some of her hair behind her ear as her own blush intensified, "Uh... Yes..." She coughed, "I do not think it would be wise to do something that we are  _so_  unprepared for, yes?"

Robin breathed a sigh of relief. As much as he cared for Starfire, he was nowhere near to being close to taking that  _particular_  step within their relationship but he was truly relieved that she too, felt the same way. It was an important step which they would have to have a long talk about beforehand.

"Yeah," Robin replied, displaying his signature lopsided grin that Starfire cherished,

Starfire giggled and she looked up at him through her eyelashes, "However... That was most enjoyable, Robin," She admitted,

Robin smirked at her playful nature, "I know..." He breathed out, feeling a lot more cheerful since his little chat with Slade from earlier on in the day,

He pushed himself to his feet and offered his hands to Starfire to help her stand up too. Before anything else could be said between the couple, Robin quickly embraced her, apparently catching her off guard but after a moment, she returned the hug with equal affection,

"Thank you, Star..." He inhaled a breath, "For being so supportive and helpful when I lose focus."

Starfire rubbed his back and smiled, "That is the okay, Robin... It is what you and I do..." She pulled back to look at him, "We do the looking out for one another."

Robin smiled softly, "C'mon... The others should be back soon..."

Starfire nodded and walked towards the roof door with Robin, lacing her fingers with his as they moved.

The evening was soon ushered in and there was a calming and comfortable atmosphere lingering within the tower. Robin had suggested they order pizza to which Cyborg and Beast Boy had almost cried with joy in response. He decided that they were in need of a relaxing night in with each other after working hard during the day to take down Cinderblock and having to cope with Slade's smug threats. Alongside stuffing their faces with pizza, they had gathered around on the sofa to sit and watch a comedy movie.

Robin had glanced around at his teammates as they ate, laughed and talked throughout the movie. Something like this was definitely needed every so often; it was nice to stop obsessing over criminals like Slade and simply enjoy the little things.

As the movie ended, they had all come to an agreement that they were exhausted so they all retired to the respective bedrooms. Robin had walked Starfire to her door and given her a quick goodnight kiss before she stepped into her room.

The boy wonder thought about his goodnight kiss with Starfire as he tossed and turned beneath his sheets. He couldn't sleep and he didn't know whether it was because of the storm that was going on outside of his window or because he missed a certain red head.

He had immensely enjoyed how close they had been on top of the tower, earlier on in the day and now, he found himself wishing he could hold her again. Thinking of Starfire usually soothed him enough so that he fell asleep but tonight, it just wasn't working.

Robin sighed and threw back his covers with an exasperated sigh. He decided that he'd have to resort to old traditions such as drinking warm milk. He got up and ran a hand through his hair as he yawned. Nothing was more irritating than feeling overwhelmed with fatigue and being unable to act on it.

He exited his bedroom and narrowed his eyes behind his mask as he trudged down the dimly lit hallway.

As he passed by Starfire's door, he heard multiple sounds. He heard the clap of thunder that seemingly reverberated throughout the whole building and he heard the sharp intake of breath from a certain Tamaranian Princess who was also apparently fully awake.

Robin glanced over his attire, checking that he looked appropriate in his sleepwear. He wore a white wife beater and a pair of grey sweats and of course, his mask remained over his eyes.

He cleared his throat before he gently tapped his knuckles against the metal door to gain Starfire's attention,

"Yes?" She whispered into the night,

"It's me," He replied, matching her low tone.

He heard some slight shuffling from inside the room before the door slid aside to reveal Starfire, adorned in a pink string top and white pajama bottoms with small pink stars dotting them.

"Greetings Robin," She said in a hushed tone,

"Hey... Are you okay?" He paused, "I heard you gasp when the thunder sounded."

Starfire sighed and turned back towards her room which Robin understood meant that he was allowed to go inside too. He took a couple of steps into her room as he followed her and felt the smallest breeze as the door quickly shut behind him.

He watched Starfire as she climbed back onto her bed, with her knees drawn up and a soft plushie clutched to her chest as she stared at the window that was being pelted with rain,  
"The storm is keeping you awake?" Robin guessed, taking a seat beside her,

Starfire nodded slowly, "The flashes of lightening are most alarming and the thunder that accompanies the lightening does not help at all." She disclosed,

Robin smiled lovingly as he lifted his hand and rubbed her back affectionately. He knew that Starfire had trouble dealing with storms; they were unfamiliar to her as she had explained to him before that Tamaran didn't have such weather occurrences. That was something that she had told him that he had never forgotten about as it was one of the first things that she had revealed to him after they became friends. Robin had vowed not to tell anyone of her fear of storms because he knew that she felt embarrassed about being afraid of storms even though he had assured her many times that a lot of people were scared of storms.

"Why are  _you_  not slumbering, Robin?" She wondered, keeping her eyes on the window that had rain pouring down it.

He sighed, "I couldn't sleep..."

"You also dislike the storms?"

Robin smiled absently, "No, I just couldn't relax and get comfy..." He informed her, earning a small nod to show him that she had been listening.

Starfire flinched and snuggled against Robin for comfort after another sudden flash of lightening illuminated the sky with the deafening rumble of thunder following soon afterwards.

The dark haired boy glanced down at his adorable girlfriend and smiled sympathetically. He draped his arms around her shoulders in order to pull her closer and he kissed the top of her head, earning a small sigh from Starfire.

"Apologies for being so childish..." Starfire whispered,

Robin chuckled, "You're not being childish, Star. Everyone has little fears like these."

Starfire meekly looked up at him through her eyelashes, "Do you have such fears?"

He considered that for a moment whilst he tilted his head from side to side, "I don't know... But, I have fears in different ways."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, something I fear is... Like when we're in battle, I'm always afraid that something bad will happen to one of you guys and I won't be able to do anything about it."

"That is a valid fear, Robin. I believe I share that with you also."

Robin smiled softly at her. He wasn't surprised that Starfire also feared something happening to their friends. She was that way inclined; thinking about her friends and putting them above herself.

There was a silence that filled the room for a brief few minutes but it wasn't uncomfortable for either of them as they enjoyed simply being in each other's presence.

"Robin?" She murmured,

"Yeah?" Robin responded, rubbing her arm soothingly,

"When do you believe the storm will cease?" She sighed, "I am overcome with fatigue and I wish to sleep but I am currently unable to do so."

"The weather reports said that the storm was supposed to be going on until the morning,"

Starfire huffed in annoyance but an idea suddenly struck her. She slowly sat up and pulled away from Robin's embrace so that she was able to look at his face.

He raised an eyebrow, "Everything okay?"

The Princess timidly played with a lock of auburn hair and glanced down at her lap as she chewed on her lip, "Well... I thought... Perhaps... You might wish to sleep with me tonight..."

Robin felt the temperature in his cheeks rise suddenly as he misinterpreted her invitation, "B-But, Star... We said we weren't ready to-" She cut him off with a small smile and a wave of her hand,

"No, no... I mean for you to simply sleep by my side so that I may feel more at ease whilst attempting to fall asleep..." Starfire clarified,

The boy wonder released a breath that he didn't realize he had been holding, "Oh... Well, I guess that would be okay... Actually, that might help us both out..."

Starfire beamed at him as he agreed to her suggestion. She leaned back and crawled over to her pillows. Robin watched her carefully, noting that she had finally learned the traditional way of sleeping on a bed. Whilst she had claimed that sleeping with her head hanging off of the edge of the bed was not uncomfortable, Robin couldn't help but realign her every now and then if he was still in her room after she fell asleep or if he checked on her during the night.

The lively girl nestled beneath her covers and patted the space beside her, signalling that Robin should join her. He chuckled and stood up before walking around the edge of the bed to the other side. He pulled back the covers and shyly climbed in beside her.

  
They both turned on their sides to face each other and smiled sheepishly. Robin gulped and placed his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. Starfire exhaled as his scent filled her senses and she brushed her fingertips against his bare arm whilst her other hand rested against his chest.

Robin couldn't believe how serene it felt to simply hold her like this as they both attempted to get some sleep. He could already feel his eyes becoming heavy with sleep but a part of him wanted to stay awake just so he could lie there with Starfire.

Starfire yawned in a way that Robin considered as being extremely cute and she blinked at Robin as she became drowsy, "Goodnight, Robin," She mumbled,

"Night, Star," He returned, quickly leaning in to peck her lips.

She closed her eyes as sleep began to overtake her. Robin smiled softly as he noticed that his presence was doing a lot for her as, when the next clap of thunder sounded, she didn't budge at all. He was pleased that his being there calmed her down and brought her attention away from the storm that continued outside.

He too felt a wave of tiredness wash over him and it seemed apparent that having her within his arms was just the thing he was in need of to fall asleep peacefully.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beast Boy and Raven have a chat; one that Starfire is happy with the outcome of. But, Robin is having some nerves about taking steps forward with Starfire.

The high pitched chirping of birds was the first thing that caused Robin to stir from his faultless slumber. He had never woken up feeling so relaxed before. He felt peaceful and refreshed from his cozy sleep.

He groaned as he stretched his arms above his head before he willed his eyes to open. Robin stared up at the white ceiling that had small pink stars painted over it and raised an eyebrow in confusion. For a moment, he completely forgot where he was but with a quick glance to the side, the memory of where he had slept the previous night came flooding back to him.

Robin smiled and propped himself up on his elbow as he looked over Starfire's sleeping form. It was strange to see her calmly sleeping when she was usually so very energetic and euphoric.

He shuffled closer beneath the sheets so that he could reach an arm around her waist. He pulled her body against him; her back pressing firmly against his chest. Starfire released a few incoherent mumbles of enjoyment as Robin nuzzled his face against her neck and shoulder. His nostrils were filled with Starfire's potent strawberry scent and the softness of her golden skin against his cheek was unbelievably exhilarating.

With a light giggle, Starfire blinked a couple of times as her eyes adjusted to the sunlight that was slowly filtering through the opening of her lilac curtains. She yawned and stretched ever so slightly before turning over to glance up at Robin who was idly watching her.

"Morning," He whispered, dropping a sweet kiss against her lips,

Starfire tilted her head at him slightly, "Good morning, Robin," She returned, running her fingers along his arm as he kept his hands securely placed upon her waist.

"How'd you sleep?" He wondered, gazing down at her,

"I experienced a very pleasant slumber, thank you." She paused and smirked, "I cannot help but think that your sleeping form being beside mine aided me in falling asleep."

Robin chuckled, "I have to admit; sleeping together was really nice, Star,"

Starfire beamed back at him, "So, in the hopes that no criminals decide to strike the city today, what shall we do with this glorious day, Robin?" She pondered,

"Well, I said to Cyborg that I'd go with him to check in on Titans East. We did give them the job of defending Jump City while we were in Japan and I haven't thanked them, face to face, yet." He paused and brushed some of her hair behind her ear, "Do you feel like coming too?"

"Oh! I would love to! I can have the girl talk with Bumblebee. I have not done so in such a long time!"

Robin gulped at the idea of what types of things Starfire's 'girl talk' with Bumblebee would entail. Not that he minded too much of course, it was nice to see Starfire bonding with other females that were associated with the Titans. He realized that Raven did her best to deal with Starfire's exuberant antics and girly behavior but the empath was hardly that way inclined and she became irritated sometimes. However, Robin stuck by the idea that over time, Raven had started to enjoy her bonding time with Starfire despite, whether or not she wanted to openly admit it.

The masked hero grinned down at Starfire, "Awesome. I wonder if Beast Boy and Raven will want to tag along."

"I believe Raven's answer will be obvious and I believe Beast Boy will still be slumbering when we depart."

Robin nodded, "You have a point there; he doesn't usually even begin stirring until 1pm."

Starfire's lips quirked up into a smirk, "So, why does Cyborg wish to visit our friends?"

The boy wonder chuckled, knowing exactly what she was hinting at, "I'm pretty sure seeing Bumblebee  _does_  have something to do with it."

"Oh! I am so happy for them! It gives me so much joy to witness our friends sharing in the romantic feelings!"

Robin smiled softly and he stretched his arms above his head to wake himself up a little more. He gently took her hand in his and allowed his eyes to wander across her beautiful face, "C'mon, we should get up. No doubt Cyborg will wanna be quick about getting to Steel City."

Starfire nodded and threw the covers back so that she could prepare for the day by getting ready. She felt elated after her peaceful rest beside Robin; sleeping beside him was a tremendously soothing experience that she hoped they would be able to continue with as it allowed her to fall into the realm of sleep a lot quicker than when she slept alone.

Raven reveled in the calming silence that surrounded her as she slowly turned the pages of her aged novel which she had acquired in the small book store back in Japan. Her eyes slowly shifted away from the faded writing on the page and focused on the doors as they swished open to reveal Robin and Starfire.

"Are you sure you and Beast Boy will be able to handle it if anything comes up while we're away today, Raven?" Robin asked, as he wove his fingers with Starfire's.

"I'm sure." Raven replied, sipping some of her tea,

"Just call if you need us."

"I'll keep it in mind, Robin."

Robin nodded. He wanted to discuss how things were while they had been in Tokyo with Titans East as they hadn't visited since they returned; but he wasn't very fond of leaving the city with just two members of his team being left behind.

Starfire cheerfully smiled at the empath who sat at the counter, "Where is friend Beast Boy? Surely he cannot still be slumbering... It is almost the middle of noon." She pointed out,

Raven rolled her eyes, "This is Beast Boy we're talking about, Starfire." She paused, "I'm pretty sure he'd sleep through the entire day if he was allowed to."

The Princess giggled quietly and turned to Robin who shook his head, "I honestly don't understand how he can sleep for so long." He claimed,

"He's probably tired from telling jokes all the time." Raven murmured, casting her eyes down at her book once more.

Robin quirked a smile at Raven's sarcastic comment whereas Starfire gave into a tiny chortle. The boy wonder then switched his smile for one of affection in reference to his girlfriend's adorable giggle. He gave her hand a quick squeeze which in turn, caused Starfire to look up at him with color in her cheeks from laughing,

"I'm gonna go and see if Cyborg is ready to leave yet. I'll be back up in a few minutes, okay?" He informed her, earning a small nod to show her understanding.

She released his hand and nodded, knowing he was still uncomfortable with public displays of affection. He smirked at her in a subtle manner before he turned away and headed down to the garage.

Starfire smiled after her boyfriend before she turned back to Raven with the continuous flicker of light within her jade eyes. She floated over to the counter and took a seat beside Raven. She crossed her arms and leaned her elbows against the counter top whilst she threw a smirk in Raven's direction.

Feeling Starfire's eyes on her, Raven sighed and closed her book. She placed the novel down on the counter and turned her head to look at the exuberant alien that was perched adjacent to her.

"What is it, Starfire?" Raven asked, feeling the threat of the blush that was fighting to fill her pale face,

"Nothing, Raven..." She shrugged, "I was simply considering how nice it shall be for you to have the alone time with friend Beastboy, yes?"

"Wh-What?"

Starfire placed a hand on Raven's shoulder and her demeanor was suddenly serious, "Raven... Feelings for another are not something to be ashamed of. You know this, yes?"

Raven gulped as she stared back at Starfire; she knew that her alien teammate wasn't going to let this go, "I know that. But, it's not a bad thing to be slightly afraid of those feelings either."

The Tamaranian's expression softened into a small smile, "Of course it is not a bad thing. I believe such feelings for someone else are truly frightening. There is no clear outcome of accepting them nor of admitting them to the other person. It is a difficult concept."

The dark girl exhaled as Starfire grasped what she feared,

"However... Not knowing what will happen if you admit to certain feelings is part of the risk and I truly believe that keeping emotions within can more often than not do more damage than simply confessing to them. Taking the initiative to conform to how you are feeling is daunting, Raven but it is wonderful to have such a heavy burden lifted from your shoulders. Believe me."

Raven stared at Starfire. She knew that Starfire had experienced something similar; getting Robin to accept how he felt about her had been no walk in the park. They had danced around each other for a solid 4 years since their first unofficial kiss when Starfire had needed to acquire English from him. Since that day, the two of them had hinted at feelings stronger than friendship; not that either of them were willing to openly admit it.

Starfire was different to Raven though; she thrived on her own unbridled emotions and acceptance of feelings came so easily to her. Raven on the other hand was at a disadvantage; she had spent the majority of her young life containing any type of emotion in order to keep a restraint over her mystical abilities.

However, Raven knew that Starfire was right; for all of her cryptic phrasing, Starfire made perfect sense. Yes, accepting feelings for Beast Boy was one thing but admitting them to him was a whole other thing. She had also explored the idea that feelings don't come naturally to everyone and they shouldn't be forced. It may have seemed like her words were contradictory but to Raven, she made perfect sense and the mysterious girl even felt a little bit better after Starfire's philosophical speech.

Suddenly, the double doors opened and Robin took a couple of steps into the room. The two girls looked up at him and Starfire offered him a radiant smile.

"Ready, Star?" He pondered, tilting his head slightly at her,

"Of course," She replied, with a small nod,

Raven momentarily wished that Starfire wasn't going to visit Titans East; she had come to enjoy their deeper and personally meaningful conversations. She felt Starfire lightly squeeze her shoulder as she cast her a quick glance which translated into, "Do not be afraid of how you feel." Before she stood up and hovered over to Robin's side.

"Bye Raven... And don't forget if-" Robin was cut off,

"Yeah, yeah, just call. I got it, Robin." Raven mumbled, rolling her eyes and waving her hand. Robin made a face at her but shook it off; he had grown accustomed to Raven's dry responses over the years.

"We shall do the seeing of you later, Raven!" Starfire called over her shoulder as she and Robin exited the main room. Raven sighed as the doors closed behind them, leaving her all alone once more to ponder her thoughts and feelings. The silence that enveloped her was overbearing as thoughts of her green teammate flitted through her mind. She reached out a hand and picked up the white cup with her soothing tea within it. Maybe Starfire was right; maybe she should just give into what her heart already knew. The head and heart were odd aspects of the body; one was led by logic and strategy whilst the other was led my emotions and sudden impulses.

She picked up her book and exhaled noisily. Stupid emotions.

Beast Boy stretched his arms above his head and yawned loudly as he trudged down the windowless hallway towards the main room. He blinked tiredly and lazily scratched his chest; he had slept for a solid 12 hours without interruption of any sort but now he felt sluggish and unmotivated. He silently prayed that no criminal decided to spring anything today; he really didn't have the energy to be alert and agile like he usually was when he took the form of other animals.

He approached the doors and strolled into the main room after they opened with an automatic whoosh sound. Beastboy lethargically glanced around and his eyes fell on the one soul in the room. He stared at Raven as she levitated in the corner of the room with a book in hand; no surprise there. The changeling smiled to himself at that.

"Hey Rae." He greeted, turning towards the kitchen with a tired sigh,

"Afternoon, Beast Boy." She returned, refusing to look up from her book just yet.

"Where are the others?" He called from the kitchen as he rummaged through the cupboards for a snack,

"They went to see Titans East hours ago."

"Oh yeah... You didn't go with them?"

"I didn't see the point. It's not like I talk to any of them very much."

Beast Boy shrugged at that but grinned, "Or you just wanted to stay here with  _me_."

Raven visibly rolled her eyes and sighed, "Oh yeah; that's exactly why." She stated, sarcastically.

The green teenager chuckled to himself as he grabbed a bag of popcorn and placed it on the counter before he opened the fridge door to search for a soda. Raven inwardly smiled at his light teasing but erased any trace of a smile after a brief moment.

Beast Boy hurried over to the sofa and deposited his unhealthy food choices upon the table before turning towards the game station. With a flick of the switch, the gaming system roared into life and the screen lit up, momentarily blinding him.

He gleefully grabbed the controlled and hopped back onto the sofa, crossing his legs beneath him in one swift motion. After a moment, Beast Boy stopped and sobered up slightly. He glanced over at Raven apprehensively,

"Sorry... Do you want me turn the volume down?" He asked, politely,

Raven looked up at him and blinked; looks like she wasn't the only one who had paid extra attention to their recent quarrel. She stopped levitating and placed her feet firmly on the ground.

"No, that's okay. It's not... Too loud, I guess." Raven returned, walking over to the sofa also.

Beast Boy flashed her a toothy grin and shifted so that she could sit comfortably on the sofa too. She cleared her throat a little and mirrored Beast Boy's sitting position upon the dark rounded sofa.

He watched her with a soft smile on his face as she took a seat and opened up her book again to continue reading. The teenager could see that she was almost at the end of the book and so he decided not to bother her with talking. He was going to give her the peace that she continuously yearned for within the usually bustling tower.

Raven focused on the pages that were printed before her and something in the air felt calmer like everything had found a way to stay silent just long enough for her to bask in her own thoughts. She cast a quick peek over at Beast Boy and couldn't help but notice that he was solely concentrating on his game. This made her heart beat faster and for a brief second, she couldn't figure out why but then it dawned on her; he wasn't talking or kicking up a fuss about his video game purely for her benefit. It was so that she could enjoy the alone time that was so sparse usually on account of living with four other teenagers. Raven inwardly smiled at his thoughtfulness and she sighed aloud out of content.

After around another hour of blissful and comfortable silence, Raven closed her book and placed it on the coffee table. She had been wanting to finish the book for a while now and she always felt better whenever she finished reading. She leaned back against the sofa and flickered her eyes up to the screen which showed Beast Boy's character beating up a number of zombies.

Beast Boy quirked a smirk without turning to look at the empath that sat beside him, "Good book?" He asked,

"Uh... Yeah. Thanks." She replied, perplexed over his sudden interest in one of her most sacred hobbies.

"What was it about?"

"Just the usual; mythical stuff."

"So, you read fairy tales?"

"Didn't you know?" She paused and smirked, "Little Red Riding Hood is quite the page turner."

Beast Boy shut his eyes and burst out laughing at her clever turnaround on his own joke. Raven even allowed herself the tiniest of smiles and in that moment, she felt at ease. Her muscles relaxed and her emotions seemed to simmer down for a second. Although she hated admitting it; she enjoyed time with Beast Boy immensely. He just had a particular personality that caused others to relax and laugh along with him.

"Good one, Rae." Beast Boy approved, exhaling as he got over his laughter,

There was the familiar nickname again. She had been getting used to him calling her that and she found that the more she heard him say it; the more she was okay with and wanted him to say it.

A long pause filled with nothing but silence passed between the two of them before Beast Boy sheepishly bit his lip and half turned to her, keeping his eyes on the TV screen.

"Raven?" He began,

"Yeah?" She returned,

"You... You did forgive me for what I said when we got back from Tokyo... Right?"

Raven nodded but twiddled her slender fingers almost immediately. She bit her lip as she considered something that she had been desperate to ask him about. It had been at the back of her mind for quite some time now and she really wanted to know the answer.  
Beast Boy tilted his head as he continued to stare at her, "Everything okay, Raven?" He asked,

She glanced up suddenly and her dark eyes met with his deep green orbs, "Beast Boy... Can I ask you something?" She wondered, holding her breath for a moment,

The changeling flashed her his signature grin, "Of course you can,"

"I know this might seem like a weird thing... Especially coming from me of all people but... Did you  _love_  Terra?"

He visibly tensed up at the mention of the blonde traitor who had also made an incredible sacrifice for the sake of the city. She had been a hero in the end despite the things she had done beforehand. There was an odd gleam in his eyes which made it hard for Raven to read his emotions based off of his expression.

Raven shook her head and stared down at her lap, "I shouldn't have asked... I'm sorry-"

"No... It's fine." He paused and gave her a weak smile, "I guess it just kinda threw me for a second."

"You don't have to answer if it makes you uncomfortable, Beast Boy..."

"It's okay, Raven." He inhaled deeply, "That part of my life is done. She didn't remember anything the last time I saw her or she didn't  _want_  to remember. Either way, Terra  _was_  important to me and I can't pretend that she wasn't but..."

Raven's eyes held apprehension as she waited for him to continue,

"I don't think it was love. I mean, I liked her sure; but I still hated her for what she did to us. When she betrayed us, all I wanted to do was take her down because of how she had hurt us all. And after she sacrificed herself, I was really upset but part of me still saw her as a criminal. I mean, if I had loved her, I don't think I could ever think negatively like that about her. Like, if Starfire did anything like that, you and I both know that Robin would keep her in a positive light. He wouldn't want to take her down and make her pay for the betrayal, y'know?"

Raven nodded; she understood exactly what he meant. He had experienced certain feelings for Terra but it couldn't have been love because he was able to hate her for the things that she had done to them. It was seemingly an easier concept to comprehend when he used Robin and Starfire as an example; they had a deep friendship as well as a romantic connection which made it difficult for either of them to ever hold any form of a grudge against one another; it simply couldn't be done.

"How comes you wanted to know?" Beast Boy's question interrupted her thoughts and she shook her head to come back to reality,

"I... I was just wondering." She stammered,

Beast Boy nodded but turned to her slightly, "Can I ask  _you_  something?"

"Uh... Sure."

"Did you love Malchior?"

Raven felt her blood turn cold at the name of the beast that had deceived her a long time ago. She furrowed her eyebrows as her anger grew slightly at the mere thought of him, "What?" She practically spat, somewhat disgusted with the question,

"Well... You had a close relationship with him too before he did _what_ he did." He murmured,

The empath allowed her shoulders to slump as her attitude over the topic subsided. As much as Raven didn't want to admit it, she had felt a mix of feelings for Malchior. She had allowed herself to open up to him and trust him more than she had ever before. It had been the closest experience to romantic feelings for someone as she had ever had until he swindled her into performing a dark spell that released him from the book that he had been trapped within.

"You're right. I did have a close relationship with him... Although none of it was real... At the time, he was the only person who seemed to understand me. Everyone had their respective best friend of sorts... You had Cyborg and Starfire had Robin. It was just difficult for me because I still felt like an outsider." She took a breath and cast her eyes downwards, "I trusted him but he used me. I don't know if it was anything more than that because I try to just forget the whole thing ever happened."

"Looks like we've both been screwed over in the past," Beast Boy joked, earning a small smile from the mysterious girl that sat beside him.

He stared at her and could feel his heart rate increasing. She caused him to feel so many different things which made him nervous yet it also gave him a slight thrill. Beast Boy exhaled noisily and looked back at Raven who had an eyebrow raised at his sudden change in demeanor.

Beast Boy had the urge to tell Raven how he had been feeling about her for a while now but there was still a wave of doubt in his mind. What if she rejected him? What if she felt the same?

Both scenarios made Beast Boy's heart pump so fast that it felt like it was going to explode out of his chest.

"Raven?" He started, quietly,

She stared into his deep olive eyes with question in her own eyes, "Yeah?" She returned,

Raven was curious as to what had caused his sudden change in behavior; a moment ago he had been jokey but now he looked nervous yet deadly serious,

"I... I need to tell you something..." He stuttered, feeling a blush creep across his face,

"What is it, Beast Boy?" She asked, softly as her brows furrowed in concern,

"I... Uh... F-For a while now... I... Um... I've kinda..." He sighed and looked down at his lap, "I think... I think I like you, Rae... In more than a friend kind of way... Uh..."

Silence pierced the room after Beast Boy's slow confession. He meekly looked up and tried to search Raven's expression for a hint of her reaction but as usual, she gave nothing away; other than shock anyway.

Raven's eyes widened and she froze as his words registered in her head. Had he really just said that? Her heart rate accelerated and she couldn't seem to form any coherent words to respond. Raven's emotions were beginning to build up; as much as she wanted to tell him that she felt the same way, some part of her just wouldn't allow it happen right now. Her breath hitched and her blue eyes burned into his green ones.

Suddenly, the microwave became encased in black magic and exploded with sparks flying from the electrical appliance. The two of them jumped up from the sofa immediately and turned to check the corner of the kitchen where the explosion had occurred. Raven gulped and her face suddenly flushed a bright red. Her heart pounded at the lack of control over her powers in relation to her feelings for Beast Boy. Part of her wanted to admit to her feelings but the fear of doing so overruled that desire.

"Raven, what-" Beast Boy was cut off by the sound of the doors opening to reveal the return of their friends.

"Man, I am starving! What'd you guys think about ordering some pizza?" Cyborg wondered aloud,

Starfire lightly clapped her hands, "Oh yes, Cyborg! Pizza sounds wonderful right now!" She confessed,

"Sounds good, Cy," Robin concurred.

The three of them turned to the changeling and the empath who both wore light colored blushes against their cheeks. With a deep inhale of breath, Raven turned away from Beast Boy and hurried across the room and with a flourish, she pushed past her teammates and exited the room.

Beast Boy sighed and his shoulders slumped; he knew he shouldn't have said anything to her. He should have just kept his mouth shut and forgot about his feelings. Now he had apparently made Raven extremely uncomfortable and may have made a dent in their friendship. He frowned; he couldn't believe he had actually hoped that she would feel the same way.

"Raven?" Starfire called just before Raven dashed out of the room and the doors closed behind her.

Starfire's eyebrows furrowed together in concern for her friend; she had a feeling that whatever had just happened had something to do with the way Raven had been feeling about Beast Boy.

"What was that all about?" Robin pondered out loud,

"I shall go and see if Raven is feeling alright..." Starfire replied, quietly, giving Robin's hand a quick squeeze before releasing it.

He gave her a small, reassuring smile as she walked out of OPS in order to go and find Raven. It didn't take a genius to figure out where she had run off to.

Starfire cautiously approached Raven's bedroom door and hesitated before softly knocking on it.

"Go away." She commanded, with a harsh edge to her tone,

The Princess inhaled deeply before she tried again, "Raven... It is I... Starfire..." She informed her, hoping it was enough to make Raven open the door.

There was a silent pause followed by slight shuffling from inside of Raven's room before the door opened to reveal the sorceress herself. Raven closed her eyes and exhaled loudly, making Starfire give into a small smile.

"Do you wish to discuss what happened before we returned?" Starfire offered, earning a short nod from Raven who stepped aside to let the Tamaranian into her dwelling.

Starfire couldn't help the sharp chill that shot down her spine whenever she entered Raven's room. There were many small statues and jagged shaped objects around the room; not to mention the lack of bright colors. It was a wonder how two polar opposites were such close friends.

Raven took a seat beside Starfire on the edge of her bed and stared at her slender fingers as she prepared herself for explaining what had happened with Beast Boy this afternoon. Starfire didn't pressure her by continuing to ask her; she was well aware that Raven required some time to get her thoughts together in her head.

"Beast Boy told me that... That he l-liked me..." Raven practically whispered, the blush attacking her pale face once again,

Starfire inhaled sharply and clasped her hands together, excitedly, "Oh Raven! How wondrous for you!" She commented,

Raven looked away and tried to maintain her original statement, "No it's not." She replied,

"Why ever not?"

"Because... I... I already told you. I don't think of him that way."

Starfire frowned and her eyebrows furrowed as she grew slightly anger. She folded her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes at Raven, "How can you do that?" She asked, crossly,

"What?" Raven queried, taken aback by Starfire's sudden change in behavior,

"How can you look straight at someone, realize that you share a connection and then try to pretend that it is not there!?"

Raven blinked a couple of times at Starfire's outburst but kept eye contact with her to make a point.

"I thought of all people, you would understand this confliction."

"Why on Earth would I understand?"

"Because... You were in control of my body and my powers before. You know me better than anyone else on this team and you know what happens when I allow myself to feel too much, Starfire. I... I can't admit to it... I'm afraid of what might happen if I do."

Starfire allowed that to sink in and she sighed. She  _did_  understand what Raven was talking about. Being someone who allowed their feelings to control their life practically all of the time, Starfire could only begin to imagine how awful it was, having to suppress such emotions instead of expressing them. She cast her mind back to when she was in Raven's body; it had been such a tricky task to remain calm and to not freely express how she had been feeling.

The redheaded girl gently rested a hand on Raven's shoulder, "I do understand, Raven. However, I believe every fear must be conquered... Including this one. I know you care for Beast Boy because I know  _you_."

Raven sighed, knowing that Starfire was right, "I know... It's just something that I'm not very good at..."

Starfire smiled patiently and leaned forward, gathering the empath into a gentle hug, "You should explain this to Beast Boy. He is not going to reject you just because you are apprehensive about a relationship with him as you are not familiar with the emotions that you are experiencing."

Raven nodded slowly, agreeing with what she was saying.

The Princess pulled away from Raven and tilted her head to the side slightly, "So, what else happened during your time alone with Beast Boy?"

"Um... After he told me that he liked me... I kind of lost it for a minute and I broke the microwave."

Starfire blinked at her before she burst out laughing, "I can think of no better response to a romantic confession than causing the electrical food heating device to explode, Raven."

Raven allowed herself to lighten up over the situation and she gave into a quiet giggle. The two girls relaxed and continued to laugh about the situation at hand; it was not the end of the world after all, as Raven put it into perspective.

That night, Beast Boy was sprawled out upon the top bunk of his bed with thoughts consuming his mind. He growled to himself and shut his eyes tightly. The changeling had been beating himself up about what had happened with Raven for the entire afternoon.

"Of course she doesn't like you that way, stupid!" He hissed to himself, rubbing his hands over his face for what seemed like the hundredth time in an hour.

Beast Boy groaned and threw his arm over his eyes. After a moment of complete silence, he heard a faint knock at the door. He sluggishly glanced over at it and sighed. Slowly, he sat up and shuffled to the edge of the mattress before he jumped and landed on his feet with a loud thud against the ground. Beast Boy quickly cleared his throat and wandered over to the door and opened it without hesitation.

His breath caught in his throat immediately as the shock of who had knocked set in. Raven stood there, with her default expression painted across her features.

"Oh... Uh... H-Hey Raven..." He stuttered, suddenly feeling nervous and vulnerable,

"Hi... I think we should talk about earlier." She replied in a monotone.

"Um... Okay..." Beast Boy returned, stepping aside to allow Raven into his room.

The empath wandered into his bedroom and immediately noticed his signature mess of clothes and video games littering the floor. She quirked the smallest of smiles at that; she  _did_  question the attraction sometimes.

She gently sat on the bottom bunk and motioned for him to sit beside her. Gulping, Beast Boy moved to take her up on the offer.

"Alright... I-" Raven was instantly cut off,

"I'm really sorry about earlier, Raven. I shouldn't have said anything and I didn't mean to make you blow the microwave up. I mean, I know you were probably angry at me for saying how I felt and stuff and I didn't know that would happen but uh... I'm sorry for that... I just... Can we just forget about what I told you and go back to normal because I can't deal with anything being weird between us and-"

Raven's eyes widened at his continuous babble and to silence him, she simply raised a hand in the air as a signal for him to stop talking. Beast Boy exhaled noisily as he had not allowed himself to take a single breath whilst he had been attempting his explanation.

"Beast Boy... I wasn't angry at you for telling me how you felt."

"You weren't?" He paused, "Then why'd you flip out?"

Raven sighed and a blush crept across her face, "I... Uh... That type of thing happens when I experience... Unfamiliar emotions that I don't know how to deal with."

"...Unfamiliar emotions?"

Her dark blue eyes met with his forest green eyes, "When I reacted the way I did... It wasn't me rejecting your feelings, Beast Boy... I... Uh... I like you too..."

Beast Boy blinked a couple of times, "As in... More than a friend kind of way?"

Raven nodded, "As in more than a friend kind of way..."

The green teenager flashed her a toothy grin and lightly chuckled, "Awesome!"

Raven looked away and a small frown appeared upon her lips which did not go unnoticed by Beast Boy. His own smile faded and his shoulders slumped,

"Why do I feel like there's a 'but' coming in you saying that you like me back, Rae?"

"I like you Beast Boy... But, it can't happen."

"Wh-Why not?"

"You saw what happened to the microwave. I can't do anything about how I feel because I don't know what'll happen in connection with my powers. For all I know... I could end up hurting  _you_..."

Beast Boy furrowed his eyebrows and reached a hand out to her, "Raven..."

She flinched at his touch and wasted no time in standing up. Raven took a couple of steps away from him and closed her eyes.

"Trust me... It'll be better this way..."

Beast Boy stood up behind her, "That's not true. Resisting feelings isn't good."

Raven shook her head, "Hm, you sound like Starfire."

He took a couple of steps forward and gently took her hand in his, slowly turning her to face him. Beast Boy tilted his head to the side so that his eyes focused on hers, "Raven... C'mon... Give it a chance. You can't possibly know what will happen if you don't try." He paused and inhaled, "I know you're scared, Raven but I'm not gonna push you into anything..."

Raven looked up into his jade eyes, with hope in her own eyes,

"We can take things as slowly as you want... I promise." Beast Boy vowed.

The mysterious girl continued to stare at him and decided to place some faith in the boy that she had developed feelings for. She gave him a short nod, "Okay..." She practically whispered,

Beast Boy's signature grin returned and he gave her hand a quick squeeze in order to reassure her.

"Thank you, Beast Boy." Raven commented, taking a chance and leaning forward to place a soft kiss against his cheek.

She felt her emotions bubble slightly with the small gesture but she managed to hold it together. Beast Boy's eyes widened and he blushed a deep red color whilst rubbing the back of his neck.

With a small nod, Raven turned and ambled out of the room. She had only taken a few steps into the hallway when Beast Boy rushed out too,

"Raven!" He called,

Raven turned and raised an eyebrow at him, "Yeah?"

"So... Uh... Just making sure... But we are... Together, right?"

She gave into a small smile, "Yes, Beast Boy..."

The changeling sheepishly beamed at her and nervously chuckled.

"Goodnight, Beast Boy," Raven returned,

"Night, Rae." He responded, quietly,

With that, she turned back around and smiled to herself about how well the situation had been handled. She made a mental note to give Starfire appreciation for her wise words about Beast Boy understanding and that admitting to her feelings was better than containing them.

Raven closed her eyes as she got closer to her own room and she delivered a telepathic message to Starfire involving her newfound revelations.

Starfire hummed a quiet tune as she sat at her vanity and dragged a light purple brush through her long gorgeous hair. She stopped humming as Raven's voice entered her mind and told her of the evening's events.

The Princess' face slowly broke out into a smile, happiness flowing through her for Raven and Beast Boy. She was delighted that Raven could finally start to allow emotions to take a little more control and she was also happy that the empath would be able to get some inner peace now that she had confessed to how she had been feeling.

Robin raised an eyebrow at Starfire. He had been sitting on her bed, reading over crime reports with Starfire's help until she decided to brush her hair before bed. Robin noticed that she had a distracted smile gracing her lips as he glanced at her through the large mirror that was placed in front of her.

"What're you smiling about, Star?" He asked, his tone light and curious,

Starfire blinked and looked up at the reflective glass that revealed her boyfriend. She turned in her seat and stood up so that she faced him. Cheerfully, Starfire floated across the space between them and sat cross legged on her bed, opposite Robin who was positioned similarly. He had his knees drawn up and his arms draped over them.

"Nothing... I am simply happy for a friend..." Starfire informed him,

He smirked, "You wanna expand on that for me?"

Starfire giggled, "I am unsure whether or not I am permitted to inform you of the news of which I have learned..." She paused and tilted her head from side to side as if considering it. Robin chuckled at her feigned conflict which caused her to apparently make up her mind.

"Raven and Beast Boy have begun the dating process." She announced, lightly clapping her hands,

Robin raised an eyebrow at the information, "Didn't see that one coming." He responded,

Starfire softly smiled, "They are a somewhat unusual match however, I believe some have said similar things of our relationship," She pointed out,

"I guess opposites really do attract, huh?" Robin murmured, snaking his arms around Starfire's slim waist. She giggled as he pulled her close, giving her lips a tender peck.

"I hope they are successful in their relationship..." Starfire whispered as she pulled away, "Raven has had the feelings for friend Beast Boy for a long time now..."

"She has? You never mentioned that before,"

"It is the 'girl talk'; you are not a girl, Robin, therefore you are not permitted to know such things." She teased,

Robin smirked, "Oh?"

"Mhm," She hummed, biting her lip to prevent her grin from spreading any more.

"Well, that makes you a good friend to her then." He approved, softly kissing her forehead.

Starfire beamed but a bright blush spread across her cheeks. Robin's smile wavered as he glanced over at her digital mumbo clock, seeing it was getting late. He glanced at Starfire who was simply staring back at him, her smile still on her face.

He gave her waist a squeeze before sitting back and throwing his legs over the edge of the bed. She watched him carefully, her expression contorting into one of confusion.

"Where are you going, boyfriend Robin?" Starfire wondered aloud,

Robin stood up and gathered all of the case files that were strewn across her bed. He gulped before replying to her.

"I'm... Gonna spend a little time in my office to try and get more files done." He lied, tightly keeping his arm around the stack of files.

Starfire tilted her head, "Do you wish for some assistan-"

He cut her off, "No. I'll be faster on my own."

The Princess felt a pang of hurt at his admission even though she was sure he did not mean it maliciously.

"Oh... Well, do you wish for me to remain awake for your return?"

Robin shook his head and leaned in to kiss her nose briefly, "Don't worry about it, Star. You get some rest and I promise, once I've finished up, I'll get some sleep too."

She raised an eyebrow, "You promise you will not do the all nighter at your desk?"

The masked leader chuckled, "I promise."

Starfire smiled and snuggled down beneath her sheets, "Very well Robin. I wish you luck on completing the files and I also wish you the pleasant shlorvaks."

Robin nodded to her, "Night Star."

With that, he swiftly exited her room, letting go of a deep sigh as he rested his back against the wall beside her door. Okay, he had lied a little to her. He wasn't planning on completing anymore of the files; at least not tonight.

He didn't lie with a harsh intent but... He was hesitant to share a bed again with her.

Really, the previous night of sharing a bed had only been to comfort her through the storm and a part of him wanted to keep sleeping by her side. However, he knew that by continuing the practice, their relationship was moving quicker than he was comfortable with.

Robin had never had a real girlfriend before and he had been trained to restrain his emotions. All of this relationship stuff with Starfire was overwhelming and he wasn't sure how to act.

Of course, he knew they hadn't done anything indecent the night before, just slept but even that seemed too close for comfort just yet.

He hadn't had the heart to tell Starfire the truth tonight. She had been so excited when he shared a bed with her the night before and he didn't want to upset her.

Robin sighed as he dumped the files onto his desk in his room before falling onto his back upon his bed. He was tired and was quickly slipping into slumber but not before promising himself to speak to Starfire in the morning about how he was feeling. She deserved to know.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Starfire's feeling guilt and confusion; Raven's not the happiest with her blurting out something she told her in confidence and Robin's peculiar behavior has her questioning herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Posting another chapter today as I completely forgot to post one yesterday so yeaaa.

As the light filtered through the gap in the curtains and washed over her form, she shifted beneath the thin but warmth retaining sheets. Starfire snuggled against her pillow before fluttering her eyes until they opened.

She peered at the empty space beside her and sighed, trying to push back the pang in her chest. She had hoped Robin would still come and slip into bed beside her after he finished with his reports but alas, there was no sign that he had come back at all after he left.

The Princess sat up and stretched her arms above her head, trying not to let it dishearten her. She shook her head and decided it probably wasn't intentional.

Swinging her legs over the edge of her bed, she got up and dressed herself in her uniform before floating down the hall towards OPS where she knew the other Titans would be.

As the doors swished open, she smiled. Cyborg and Robin appeared to be conversing with one another over in the kitchen whilst Raven and Beast Boy were sat companionably upon the sofa. She beamed at that but flew over to the kitchen, softly calling out to them,

"Good morning, friends!" She expressed, twirling through the air before planting her hands on the kitchen counter. Beast Boy and Raven gifted her with a nod and a smile each whilst Cyborg returned the affectionate greeting.

"Hey! Just in time, fly girl!" He chirped,

Starfire giggled at the nickname that had long since stuck with her cybernetic friend. Her smile wavered a little though at Robin's response to her greeting. He seemed to pull the newspaper he was reading, closer to his face. In all honesty, he looked like he just wanted to disappear.

Shaking her head, Starfire glanced back at Cyborg, a big grin on her face.

"Please, what is it in which I am punctual for, Cyborg?"

He turned around, frying pan in hand and nodded at the stack of plates in the middle of the counter.

"My pancakes, girl!"

Starfire inhaled in excitement and clapped her hands together, her emerald eyes twinkling with utter delight.

"Oh! How glorious! They are most delicious, especially when covered in the mustard."

Cyborg shuddered but didn't comment on her odd choice of topping for her pancakes. Starfire's food quirks were something that they didn't mention all that much, in fear of making her feel self conscious. She knew her tastes were not "normal" but she didn't exactly need it pointed out. It didn't hurt any of them so they didn't mind in the slightest.

Starfire moved around and grasped the back of the chair next to Robin but her expression faltered when she noticed him almost shift uncomfortably at the concept of her sitting beside him. She felt an icy stab in her chest and she didn't know why. Was he avoiding her? Had she done something wrong?

With a pang of indignity, she shoved the chair forward again, causing an irritable scraping sound against the floor and continued to move around the counter.

She chose the seat furthest away from Robin instead, sitting all the way across the counter, opposite him.

Her actions must have shocked him as she noticed him stare at her for a moment before looking back down at the paper in his hands. Usually, she would have ignored his awkward mannerisms and simply sat down.

However, today she could feel it. She felt that something was off with him and she felt upset that she couldn't pinpoint exactly what that "something" was.

It was as if he had taken a couple giant steps back in their progress of becoming a couple. He was acting indifferent and distant. He always responded to her morning greetings. He never fidgeted like her presence was bothering him. He was never usually this awkward with her, even before they had started dating.

She couldn't help but question what she had done to make him act so strangely. They seemed to be doing so well as of late.

Starfire shook her head to free her mind of such thoughts as Cyborg flipped a golden pancake onto the plate in front of her. She looked up to see Beast Boy and Raven walking over to join them and she found a cheerful feeling swell within her once more, knowing about their newfound relationship.

The Tamaranian grabbed the mustard and squirted it all over her pancake before cutting a few pieces up and using her fork to lift them into her mouth.

She was acutely aware that Robin kept shifting his gaze to her and whilst part of her was happy for that, she also found herself feeling a tad tetchy. He wouldn't talk to her or out rightly look at her but he would when he thought she wasn't aware. Human boys could be so confusing; not to mention frustrating.

The quiet sound of chewing and sipping of beverages filled the air for a few minutes before Cyborg cheerily broke the silence.

"So, what's new ya'll?" He wondered,

Starfire glanced around at her friends who all merely shrugged. She furrowed her eyebrows but smiled back at Cyborg, her fork collecting up another piece of mustard covered pancake.

"Did Beast Boy and Raven tell you their wondrous news?" She was practically bubbling with excitement for the two of them.

There was a sudden silence that swept over them, only to be fractured by the sound of a fork clanging against a plate.

" _Starfire!_ " Raven hissed at her.

The alien turned to the empath, confused and a little nervous. Her expression dropped as she realized her blunder and she immediately felt mortified and blushed profusely at her mistake.

"Oh! Forgive me! I- I was not aware that it was the secret... You informed me-"

Raven pulled her hood up and muttered, "Yeah, in the middle of the night. What does  _that_  tell you?" before hopping off of the chair and stalking out of the room.

Starfire frowned and slumped a little in her own chair. She honestly hadn't meant to blurt such a thing out like that. She assumed due to their proximity on the sofa and Raven openly telling her the previous night that it was not something that was being actively hidden.

Cyborg waved his hands around in the air, "Hold up... What's going on? What's your news?"

Beast Boy rubbed the back of his neck and a light blush spread across his face,

"Uh... Raven and I... we're kinda... um... dating now?" He stammered, feeling like an onslaught of teasing would soon follow.

"What!? Since when!?"

"Like, literally last night..."

"And you weren't gonna tell me? I'm yo' best friend, man!"

Beast Boy shrugged, throwing a cautious glance in Starfire's direction, "Raven didn't want it announced... like... well, how Star just kinda did..."

Starfire felt awful. She touched her chest and looked at Beast Boy earnestly.

"Please... I am  _so_  very sorry... if I had known... I never would have-"

Beast Boy gave her a gentle smile and touched her shoulder, "Don't worry about it, Star. You know Raven. She just likes to be all private and junk. You're just excited for us. It's really okay."

Starfire nodded slowly as his hand slipped from her shoulder. She felt a terrible twist in her stomach as she poked at her mustard covered pancake. It seemed like she was wrongdoing everyone today without even meaning to.

She wasn't that hungry anymore.

Robin was acting very strangely around her and now Raven was angry and upset with her. Her day was heading south at an alarming rate.

She appreciated Beast Boy's attempts to make her feel better but she still felt a tight knot of anxiety that she had upset those closest to her without intending to.

Starfire sat there whilst only Beast Boy and Cyborg continued to chat. As she continued to wallow in self-pity, her thoughts switched solely to Robin who remained at the other end of the counter, still with his nose buried in the newspaper.

She couldn't understand it. Surely if she had upset him in some way, she would know what it was but she couldn't think of anything, especially with their relationship recently growing. They had after all, recently decided to sleep in the same bed with one another. She saw that as a very minimal thing for various reasons but it was still a nice stepping stone for them as a couple.

Watching him closely, she waited until he got up to put his plate into the sink, immediately getting up as well so that he couldn't run from her like he had on a number of occasions before.

Starfire fixed a smile onto her face. Perhaps she could still turn her day around into one filled with positivity and cheer. She so disliked feeling unhappy or making anyone else feel that way.

Floating so that she was practically right beside him, she glanced at Robin who seemed not to notice she was there until she spoke. She narrowed her eyes at him. Odd.

"Hello, Robin," She greeted,

He glanced up at her and gave her a returning smile but somehow, she felt like it was incredibly forced.

"Oh, Hey Star,"

"Please, did you have the pleasant shlorvaks?"

He nodded, "Yep... did you sleep okay?"

She tilted her head a little. Usually, she would never feel so awkward with Robin. He was her best friend after all and yet, right here, speaking with him; she had never felt more uncomfortable.

Starfire bashfully smiled and blushed, "I would have had the better sleep if you had slept by my side once more..."

His mask widened a little and he gently touched her upper arm, glancing around to make sure no one had heard her.

"Yeah... let's try and keep that just between us, okay?" He hushed,

Starfire jerked back slightly, "But... we did not do anything inappropriate-"

"Try telling that to the two that torment us on a daily basis."

She shifted her weight from one foot to the other. He had a logical point there. Opening themselves up to teasing would be a mistake. Beast Boy and Cyborg could take any little thing and run with it for days. With that said, she tried to ignore the thud in her chest that she felt.

"Please... you fell asleep before you could return to me last night?" She queried, clasping her hands behind her back.

Robin kept his eyes on the plate he was rinsing off in the sink, "Uh... yeah."

Starfire wasn't convinced. He seemed to be deliberately avoiding her questions. It was like he simply didn't want to be around her.

"Robin-"

He cut her off, "Look, I've gotta go do some work. I was close to a lead on Slade when tracing the holographic ball back to its source."

Starfire brightened for a moment with a hopeful smile gracing her lips, "How wonderful! Perhaps you would like some assis-"

"No. Thanks. I'll-"

Starfire exhaled, hugging her arms, "-Complete your task faster if you are alone. I know."

Robin frowned, "Star-"

He reached out towards her but she stepped away from him, hurt and actively evading his touch. If he didn't want to spend time with her for whatever reason he had now, then fine. He didn't have to.

Starfire glowered at the ground, willing herself not to be bitter but letting it slip anyway, "You should go and complete your research... instead of...  _wasting_  your time here with me."

His mask arched, "Hey, that's not what I-"

She looked off to the side, keeping her eyes on anything but him. She half turned away,

"I must go and wake Silkie. He is due for his walk anyway." She turned so her back completely faced him, "I wish you luck on your research of Slade, Robin."

He sighed as he watched her walk over to the TV and gently shake a snoring Silkie who was curled up in a patch of sunlight, streaming through the windows. Robin was well aware that he had upset her and whilst he wanted to kiss her and apologize and explain himself, he found he couldn't. His knee jerk and fail safe way of running from his feelings and any form of confrontation of said feelings kicked in. With a frown, he picked up his coffee mug and tucked the newspaper under his arm before leaving the room without another word.

Starfire sadly watched him leave as Silkie rolled around to prop himself up. She stroked her pet gently and murmured, "Come Silkie... It is time for the walk."

Her pet larvae gurgled at her, his tail immediately wagging back and forth in excitement. She sighed and stood up, waving at Cyborg and Beast Boy who were quietly and not so subtly watching the odd tension between Starfire and Robin unfold.

As Starfire wandered out of the room with Silkie shuffling along behind her, Beast Boy glanced at Cyborg with raised eyebrows.

"I wonder what that was about?" Beast Boy considered, pressing a button or two on his gaming controller.

Cyborg shrugged, "Maybe we'll find out?"

Beast Boy frowned in concern, "I hope we don't, to be honest." He paused and shook his head as his attention returned to the screen, "Hey! Who said you could be the silver racer!?"


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Starfire makes amends with Raven over her earlier blunder and prepares to have a talk with Robin.

She kicked her legs back and forth whilst staring up at the slowly darkening sky above her. Sitting on the edge of tower, Starfire felt a sigh escape her lips.

Taking Silkie for a walk had been distracting enough so that she could forget her confusion and sadness regarding this morning's events, if only for a short time. However, she had returned nearly an hour ago but couldn't seem to bring herself to head back inside.

She had very mixed feelings.

Whilst she wanted to make things better with and apologize to Raven, she had a notion that she may be turned away if she tried.

She had a hunch that things would go the same way with Robin.

He was hard to read some of the time.

Okay,  _most_ of the time.

She was unsure whether or not he would actually wish to speak about whatever it was that was bothering him, if she were to go and ask him.

Starfire furrowed her eyebrows as she thought about it.

She honestly admired a lot of his traits and even accepted his numerous flaws. He was who he was and she cared for him nonetheless.

Sometimes, however, she found herself wishing that he was just a  _little_ more open with what he was feeling. She would never expect him to be quite as expressive as herself, of course.

But, at times like this, she hoped he could just tell her what was wrong, rather than inadvertently making her run through every single scenario she could possibly think of.

Glancing over her shoulder, she smiled as she watched Silkie chase a firefly that seemed to be taunting him.

With a deep inhale of breath, she brought her legs up and stood before walking over to her pet.

"Come Silkie. We must feed you so that you may acquire energy that you may have lost on our walk." She told him, softly.

As Silkie shuffled up to her, he gave her ankle a loving rub, much like that of a cat. She giggled and bent at the waist to pick him up.

Nuzzling her cheek against his, she felt her spirits lift ever so slightly.

"Oh Silkie, at least you never seem to become unhappy with me."

Silkie gurgled and waved his little legs at her.

Starfire kept her worm tucked safely under her arm as she made her way through the tower.

As she reached the kitchen, she vaguely jumped as she caught a glimpse of Cyborg who was by the looks of it, building a meat stacked sandwich.

"Greetings, Cyborg. I believed you to be down in the garage grooming the T-Car." She admitted, setting Silkie down on the floor.

He looked up from his ingredients and flashed her a grin.

"I was, but food was a-callin' me." Cyborg responded, squirting a helping of Mayonnaise onto his concoction.

Starfire giggled, "I see."

"You only just get back from walking Silkie?"

She slowly nodded as she reached around in the cupboard for a can of food for Silkie to ingest.

"You were out for a long time..."

Starfire gulped as he left that statement hanging in the air. He was surely trying to gauge her actions.

With a sigh, Cyborg placed his freshly prepared sandwich down on his plate and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Star."

She turned to face him, with a sheepish expression.

"I know you're unhappy, girl." He stated, pointedly staring at her with a tilt of the head.

Starfire immediately shook her head and gave him a bright, but artificial smile.

"Please, I am most joyful-"

Cyborg placed one fist on his hip whilst using his index finger of the other to waggle at her. He could be such a motherly figure when he wanted to be.

"Nuh uh! Don't be givin' me that." He paused and softened, "C'mon Star. I know you."

Starfire met his gaze a moment longer before her shoulders slumped and she deeply exhaled.

"I am feeling the guilt on account of upsetting Raven at the breaking of the fast."

"I'm sure she'll forgive you, Star. Have you tried talking to her since earlier?"

She shook her head.

"Just go along to her room then and talk to her. Rae can be scary but you know as well as I do..." He smirked, "She's got a soft spot for  _all_  of us, whether or not she wants to admit it."

Starfire gave him a tiny smile, "Do you believe she will still be angry with me?"

Cyborg shrugged, "Only one way to find out. But, my best guess is that she was just annoyed in the moment. You know how Raven can be with private stuff. It's as BB said."

The Princess nodded and took a step forward, briefly hugging Cyborg, causing him to chuckle and ruffle her hair a little.

"Did you want me to whip you up a special Cy-Sandwich before you go and see her?"

"No, thank you, friend. I believe I should go and seek out Raven whilst I currently retain the confidence to do so."

Cyborg grinned and proceeded to shoo her as she reached for the can of "Silkie food", telling her to just get going and that he would feed the resident watch worm of the team.

Feeling a little more upbeat, Starfire padded down towards Raven's room even though her heart was hammering away in her chest. Whilst upbeat, she couldn't deny the sense of anxiety bubbling within.

She found herself stood outside of the sorceress' room and took a deep breath before lifting her fist up towards the door.

Starfire watched her hand shake a little but just as she was about to rap her knuckles against the metal, she heard noise coming from inside.

Voices. Laughter.

Realizing she was spending time with Beast Boy and was apparently  _thoroughly_ enjoying her time with said prankster, Starfire deflated.

If Raven was in a good mood, she didn't want to ruin it by dragging up the events of the morning.

She stepped back and turned to walk away.

"Starfire?"

The alien spun back around so fast, she got a tad dizzy and shrieked as Raven herself appeared before her.

Starfire exhaled and touched her chest with her fingertips.

"Sorry. Did I scare you?" Raven asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Just a little, friend."

Raven rolled her shoulders beneath her dark cloak, "I could feel your emotions."

Starfire gulped and rubbed the back of her neck, sheepishly.

"Apologies... I... did not mean to disturb you. Please, ignore-"

The empath sighed, "Starfire."

Said redhead meekly glanced up at Raven through her lashes before she suddenly blurted out her feelings in a rush.

"Please forgive me for my breach of confidentiality, Raven! I truly did not mean to upset or anger you and I will never do such a thing again as I realize how it displeases you. I only wished to-"

Raven held up a hand, her eyes widening at Starfire's pace of speech.

"Starfire. Breathe." She advised,

The Princess suddenly let go and panted slightly. She clasped her hands in front of her chest.

"Raven... I am sorry." Starfire reinforced,

Watching her friend carefully, Raven visibly relaxed, "It's okay."

Starfire jerked, "What?"

Raven reached out a hand and gently touched Starfire's upper arm.

"I said it's okay. And I forgive you. Whilst I  _was_ mad at you earlier, I know it wasn't done maliciously and only because you were excited for us." She paused, "I just need time to get used to it, myself... okay?"

Starfire vehemently nodded her head, darting forward to gather Raven in a bone crushing hug.

"Oh! I promise, Raven! I will try to do the reigning in of my euphoria for you and Beast Boy!"

Raven grunted in pain at first and weakly patted Starfire's back.

"Much... appreciated... Starfire..." She puffed a breath, "Can't... breathe..."

Starfire released her instantly, allowing color and oxygen to reach her system again.

Once freed from Starfire's arms, the empath puffed a breath and nodded to her friend.

In that moment, Raven spied a small change in Starfire's expression. It was lightening fast but she saw the falter in her smile.

Raven narrowed her eyes and tilted her head slightly, "What's wrong?"

Starfire blinked back at her, "Nothing is wrong, friend!"

"Yes there is. I can tell. What is it?"

The alien bit her lip, silently in awe over how well her friends knew her. That or she was just incredibly bad at hiding her emotions. The latter being highly plausible.

"I... Robin is acting most strangely towards me today."

Raven folded her arms over her chest, "Yeah, I noticed that this morning. He was... unusually quiet, even when you came in. That's normally when he perks up a little."

Starfire rubbed her arm, "I do not understand. We have not done the arguing or had any form of misunderstanding... at least... I do not  _think_  we have..."

The empath rolled her eyes, "Knowing the boy blunder, it could literally be anything. For all we know, it could be a Slade thing. You know how one track minded Robin can get whenever he comes back on the scene."

Eyebrows furrowing, Starfire nodded. She hadn't considered Slade. What with his physical lack of crimes, he kept slipping everyone's mind. Well, everyone's but Robin's, of course.

"Perhaps, you are correct."

"Don't you think you should go and talk to Robin about this?"

She nodded, "Indeed... I am simply unsettled by his unusual behavior. I believed he would become more open regarding issues now that we are romantically involved."

Raven shrugged, "He and I are kind of alike in that sense. Emotions... aren't exactly common territory. Just go and speak to him about whatever this  _thing_ is and I'm sure he'll try and talk it through with you."

Starfire had hope in her heart, "You truly believe so?"

"Trust me, Starfire. I'm sure it'll be fine."

 _Famous last words_.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's some friction when Starfire goes to Robin to find out why he's been acting so strangely around her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna add a bunch of chapters because I have forgotten the last few days. Oops.
> 
> So, at this point, Robin and Starfire are going to have crossed wires; they're still learning how to do this whole romantic relationship thing.

With a deep breath, Starfire raised her fist in front of his door. She could hear her heartbeat thumping in her chest. Surely, she was overestimating just how nervous she should be. She was after all, only speaking to her boyfriend.

 _And leader_.

Starfire swallowed and finally knocked against the steel door. There was a pause followed by a sharp,

" _What?_ "

She winced but fought back her emotions.

"I... it is I... Starfire..."

Silence before a brief shuffle and the snick of a lock.

As the door slid open, Robin filled the frame. He looked haggard and exhausted. No doubt throwing himself into a full day of researching bits and pieces on Slade's next move. If he even had one, that was.

His voice was softer than before and whilst she appreciated it; her nerves were still jumbled,

"Hey, Star..." He murmured, rubbing a hand across his face,

"Apologies for my interruption... I simply wished to visit you as I have returned from my walk with Silkie."

His eyebrows rose and he reared his head back just enough to see the clock on the far wall of the room.

"Now? You were gone for a long time." He pointed out,

Starfire shrugged, not feeling there was a lot to say on the matter.

There was a silence that clung to the air, replacing the answer that would never come from her.

"Oh! Did... you wanna come in?"

She looked up from the floor and shook her head, "I do not wish to be the burden."

Robin furrowed his eyebrows at that and shook his head, stepping aside to let her pass. She was hesitant but something in her mind told her to continue. She had come this far, after all.

Starfire heard the door close as she wandered further inside, her eyes having to adjust to the dimly lit room.

Glancing over at his desk, she noted all of the reports, photographs and evidence, presumably about Slade, sprawled across the surface.

She stayed silent as he walked around her to sit back in his chair, going back to looking through his workload.

Starfire bit her lip and sat down on the edge of his bed. She eyed him as he tapped his fingertips against the wooden surface. He clearly felt uncomfortable too as the grating silence gnawed away at them.

Deciding to just come out with what she had to say, Starfire released a sincere sigh, smoothing out her skirt with the palms of her hands.

"Robin?" She paused as he turned towards her, "Why have you done the avoiding of me today? Please... I have done something to offend you?"

His eyes widened behind his mask, "What?"

She scratched at her arm, feeling incredibly awkward, "You seem... distant today. I... I-"

Robin spun around in the chair to look at her, "N-No, Star... you haven't done anything wrong. It's just... well... it's not you."

Starfire frowned and hugged her arms, "Then... why have you sought the space from me for the entirety of the day?"

He exhaled and rubbed the back of his neck, "It's just... I... uh... you see-"

"Robin." Starfire sighed,

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and threading his fingers together. He tapped his foot and swallowed.

"Okay... the other night, when we slept together-" He couldn't help but blush at his phrasing even though she knew what he meant.

Starfire blinked in surprise.  _That_  was what this was about? She hadn't been expecting something like that at all.

"You did not like it?" Starfire returned, confused.

Robin jerked, "No, I did... it's just... I don't think we should do it again."

Furrowing her eyebrows, Starfire was quick to question, "Why not?"

He rolled his shoulders as he straightened up, "Because... I... it's inappropriate."

Starfire felt an unfamiliar bubble of annoyance rise up within her. She couldn't help it. She simply couldn't understand why he would act in such a way  _just_  because they had merely shared a bed. It seemed so very insignificant.

Usually, she would let it go and just accept it. But, today, part of her couldn't do that; not without questioning why.

She crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head at him, "I do not see how it can be considered inappropriate. We did nothing more than sleep."

He sighed, rubbing his palms against his thighs, "You and I know that, but the others like to believe their own theories-"

"So? Why should it matter what others think?"

"Because I still have to set an example, Starfire. I'm still the leader. Just because we've started dating doesn't deter from that."

She narrowed her eyes, feeling offended, "I am  _fully_  aware of that, Robin. However, I do not believe merely sleeping within and sharing a bed is such a scandal."

He flexed his jaw before snapping his head in her direction, "Look, I don't have time for this-"

"Of course not. You never  _do_." Starfire replied, bitterly.

Robin splayed his fingers wide and shrugged at her, "What do you want from me?"

"The truth, Robin. All I ever want from you is honesty. You never tell me how you are feeling or what it is exactly that is bothering you. It makes me feel as though you do not trust me!"

He inhaled, gritting his teeth, "It is the truth. I just don't want to share a bed again, alright? It gives off the vibe that we're doing something we shouldn't. Why can't you just accept that?"

Starfire abruptly stood, her hands balled into fists at her sides, "Because I  _know_  you and I know that is not the truth. What is it about the activity that you fear so much?  _What_  are you so afraid of?"

Robin stood up so fast, his chair toppled backwards and he strode forward, causing Starfire to stiffen, as if preparing for more than a verbal fight.

"Fine! You really wanna know why I don't want to share a bed again?" He paused, not giving her a chance to actually answer, "It's too much."

Starfire flinched in disbelief, " _What_?"

He began pacing back and forth, continuously dragging a hand through his dark tresses.

"It was nice but after, all I could think about was how quickly it had happened. It's  _way_  too soon, for me!"

The Princess furrowed her eyebrows, "I do not understand what you are talking about."

Robin grumbled before turning to face her, "This-" He gestured between them, "is moving too fast, okay? Something like sharing a bed... that's a huge thing considering we've only been together for a few weeks. I'm not ready for that, okay? And I don't exactly want to be  _manipulated_ into it either."

Starfire physically jerked back at his poor choice of words, "Manipulated? I assure you Robin; I have done no such thing. You chose to stay with me. You did not have to and I certainly did not  _force_  you either!"

Robin opened his mouth to reply but Starfire wasn't finished.

"I do not understand this. We have shared a bed in the past, before we even began the dating process."

He considered that.

It was true, they had shared a bed before when either of them needed the comfort and felt particularly fragile.

When Blackfire had come to Earth and when Val-Yor had mistreated her, she had sought Robin out to feel the familiarity of feeling like she belonged on both accounts.

Likewise, Robin had searched her out each and every time that Slade had mentally abused and tortured him.

It was something they had done as friends just to reaffirm any insecurity each other might have.

The masked leader felt the blush that crept up the back of his neck, "That was completely different! We were  _friends_  then, not a couple. There's a difference."

Starfire gritted her teeth before suddenly stepping backwards from him.

"Fine. If you do not wish to share a bed with me, that is absolutely the okay." She paused and bitterly continued, "I am  _sorry_  for asking for your comfort."

Robin seemed to simmer down at that, "Wh-what?"

"When I asked you to spend the night with me, I was asking you as the friend. I wished to have you nearby because I trust you and because you are my best friend. I was scared of the storm outside and I felt safe with you." She paused, her eyes shifting back and forth as she watched him, "I did not intend on such a thing being misinterpreted. I did not even consider the fact that you are also my boyfriend as I believed it went without the saying."

He stood awkwardly looking at the ground. Of course, he felt pretty bad about it now.

"If you had spoken to me regarding how you felt about the sharing of the bed then we could have spoken about it. You are so  _quick_  to act before actually thinking. You chose to ignore me today rather than talk to me and that says the a lot."

Robin lifted his chin to look at her and was startled by the sudden blaring of the alarm and the red flashing that filled the room.

Starfire blinked before sighing and walking over to his door, briefly turning to look at him.

"There is not supposed to be such a drastic line between friendship and romance, Robin. There does not need to be a difference between the two as they are supposed to come hand in hand." She took a breath, "You clearly cannot let your guard down enough to allow me to be both a girlfriend and a best friend. If you cannot see this, then perhaps... perhaps I should not be one of the two."

Robin's face fell and he reached out a hand for her, "Star-"

She shook her head and stepped outside of his office, "We should go. The others shall be waiting and it is as you said in Tokyo. We are heroes and nothing more."

With that, she sprinted out of the door and in the direction of the main room to be briefed.

Robin felt his heart thud against his ribcage.

What had just happened? Was that her way of breaking up with him or was she just making a point?

He deflated, already feeling remorse. She was completely right. He had been separating the two titles as if they were different and he had been reluctant to accept her as both a girlfriend and as a friend.

Robin exhaled, feeling his mood falter completely as he exited his office and followed after her.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Starfire goes into battle with her mind elsewhere and her body on autopilot.

The sensation of rushing wind was about the only thing that was helping him right now. It brushed across the exposed part of his upper arms and shook the short sleeves of his uniform as he revved the engine of his bike.

Speeding up, his eyes darted back and forth behind his mask.

He could hear his emitted sigh as it floated around the space of his helmet.

Robin glanced up at her again.

His own heart was racing and it wasn't due to the impending mission they were hurrying towards.

No, it happened to be due to his girlfriend whose flying was becoming increasingly erratic each time he checked on her.

Starfire's emotions were a mess. He could tell that much more so than anything else. Now that he had time to calm down and think about it, he could understand her reasons a little more.

He could understand that she was frustrated with him for never really opening up to her about how he felt and he could understand why she was thrown by his mention of bed sharing.

He fought not to mutter to himself at that issue and how  _stupid_  he had been to pinpoint his troubles over that. Of course, it wasn't about the damn bed sharing.

Robin felt another palpitation within his chest as he watched her dip a little before catching herself and even going so far as to speed up. He swallowed.

She was going to hurt herself if she didn't stop.

He could whole-heartedly understand her frustrations but he hoped, somewhere in that gorgeous head of hers, she also realised the true reasoning behind his outburst and his strange behaviour.

She knew him better than anyone and was usually very perceptive of his behaviour, even when he didn't want her to be.

He considered that the lines were smeared for the moment as neither of them had really been thinking rationally before they left for the mission at hand. He knew it was bad in the sense the two of them never usually argued.

And, he supposed, he was more so at fault. She was right, if he had come to her and just spoke about what was bothering him, an argument could have been avoided. But, he hoped when they had the chance to talk about things later, she would understand he was only concerned about certain things.

Robin could see it in her face as she forced herself to keep flying. She was so determined to just do her job and dispel the emotions she was feeling at the moment.

Of course, that wouldn't do on account of her powers stemming from her emotions.

She shuddered in the air for a moment before taking a breath and straightening up again to continue.

Robin bit his lip. She was currently paying a close resemblance to Bambi learning how to walk. It was as if she was learning to fly all over again.

He cast his mind back and realised there was a tough smidge of confusion deep inside of her. Confusion was what normally led to any kind of blip in her flight.

Shaking his head, he decided to wait. He couldn't simply pull her aside during a mission, just to explain things. He supposed she was stable enough. Her falls and dips only seemed to be sporadic and she was handling them well enough.

Besides, he respected her too much to just pull her up about her flight, knowing the problem she was currently facing was because of personal reasons between them.

There were times where their relationship would have to be sidelined in favour of a mission.

They were still the city's protectors first and foremost.

His eyes narrowed as they alighted on their targeted criminal and anger swelled within him.

Cinderblock was picking up cars and throwing them into the sides of buildings and ripping structures apart with his bare hands.

The masked leader felt his eye twitch. They had only recently thrown him in jail and yet he was back out and causing havoc again?

Robin gritted his teeth as he caught a glimpse of the 'S' emblem on Cinderblock's chest.

_Slade._

He felt his blood boil. What was Slade playing at? None of his moves were making sense. What did he stand to gain from releasing all of the criminals or to keep breaking out regular criminals like Cinderblock?

The giant rock formation wasn't even going after anything in particular. There were no jewels to steal, no tech and no money. What  _was_  Slade trying to do?

Clearing his throat, Robin touched the pad on the dashboard of his bike to activate and sync their communicators together.

"Alright, team. Let's try and finish this thing as quickly but as carefully as possible." He paused, his eyes focusing on Starfire, "We all know how much destruction Cinderblock is capable of and it looks like that's his main objective today. Stay alert. We don't need any more of the city getting destroyed and any more civilians getting hurt in the process."

Glancing to the side, he saw the others give him a small but affirmative nod to signal their understanding.

Eyes drifting back up to Starfire, he frowned. Whilst the others had nodded, she was speeding up again.

Pressing a series of buttons on the dashboard, he switched the line to a private one in order to speak with Starfire without letting the others hear.

"Starfire. Be careful and slow down. Flying into this head on could be-"

"I am capable of taking care of myself, Robin." She all but snapped at him.

Robin blinked. This was so unlike her. It was as if kindness and happiness wasn't with her right now.

Shaking his head, he tried to alleviate her mood, "I know that-"

"Besides, did you not say you wished for this mission to be over as quickly as possible?"

Robin's frown deepened, "I also said as carefully as possible."

He eyed her as she felt for her communicator, latched onto her belt. He watched in shock as she switched it off, cutting off all communication with him.

Robin very nearly faltered, feeling the front wheel of his bike slide slightly before he regained control.

She had never done that before. He was utterly confused by her behaviour. She had been mad at him before and they had argued before but never had she taken this approach. Starfire was one to get huffy and make a point of it but she was never one to disobey him or show complete disregard for his concerns or orders during a battle.

Deep down, there was a niggling feeling telling him to stop, pull her aside and talk about things. Right now. It was unprofessional but he didn't need or want her getting hurt because of something that had happened between the two of them.

He jolted as she zipped forward, exceeding all of them to get to Cinderblock first.

"Starfire!" He called out, his voice becoming muffled due to the helmet.

She paid no mind to his voice even if she had heard him.

Robin growled and thumped the dashboard of his bike with his fist, revving the bike and speeding up himself. His focus had shifted. Now, he just wanted to get ahead of Starfire so that she didn't do something she'd ultimately regret.

As much as she was a being of emotion, sometimes those emotions of hers could get destructive.

Starfire's eyes glowed with a ferocious green. They snapped and sparked as she scowled at Cinderblock.

The criminal barely had time to register what was hurtling towards him before he was knocked back a couple paces by Starfire, smacking her fist against his solid chin.

Cinderblock caught himself before he could topple over and roared, bringing his arms up and readying himself to charge back at the heroine.

Raven's glowing eyes widened when she saw that. She could feel an abundance of emotions rolling and steaming from the resident Princess of the team. But, it was blurry as she felt them.

It was as if Starfire's emotions weren't even sure what was going on. Anger was there but so was sadness and hurt; mostly confusion. There was only a snippet of happiness which that alone caused Raven concern.

The empath floated up to Cinderblock's left side, hoping to get a shot in. She reached a hand towards one of the cars he had already proceeded to smash, lighting it up with her dark magic.

"Azarath, metrion, zinthos." Raven chanted, lifting the vehicle into the air.

She waited for the right moment, the moment that Starfire wouldn't be in the way and be a factor to hesitate.

Raven frowned and gritted her teeth as Starfire continued to pull Cinderblock around, effortlessly; like he was weightless.

"Starfire! I can't get an accurate shot when you're throwing him around like that!" Raven called, thinking that would be enough to draw her in.

Peculiar.

It was like she was in her own personal bubble. The Tamaranian didn't even budge. It appeared that Starfire hadn't even heard Raven.

The sorceress blinked and furrowed her eyebrows, dropping down to the ground where the boys were also watching in confusion.

Starfire soared over Cinderblock's head before halting in front of him. She gave into a battle cry before scorching his torso with her eye beams. He grunted in pain and stumbled backwards, only to be followed by Starfire who wasn't taking a chance in removing her focus from the villain at hand.

Beast Boy scratched his head in disbelief, "What's Star doing?"

Robin felt the familiar and sickening churning within his stomach as worry began to consume him.

Raven shook her head and glanced at Robin, "She won't even let me get close."

Robin narrowed his eyes and cupped his palms around his mouth to project his voice, "Starfire! Pull back!"

He heard her snarl before gripping Cinderblock, digging her fingers into his rocky surface, cracks appearing beneath her hold. She grunted loudly and lifted the beast above her head before subsequently tossing him back down against the street.

The other Titans braced themselves as the Earth shook for a moment from the impact.

Starfire rumbled, slamming her feet against his burnt torso, grinding his body into the concrete a little more.

As she reared back and lifted into the air once more, Cinderblock howled with rage. He pushed himself up, all the while reaching and clawing for Starfire who kept moving away and dodging, only serving to infuriate him even more.

Beast Boy blinked and shook his head, shifting into a battle stance, "Soo... is she letting  _us_  have a turn or...?"

Robin shook his head, pulling out a birdarang, "Starfire is too emotional. Try and get in there and stop this. Either get her away or intercept her and reach Cinderblock instead."

Cyborg nodded and jogged ahead by a few yards, activating his sonic cannon and hearing it crackle to life. He lifted his arm, aiming it at Cinderblock with as best precision as he could.

He clenched his jaw as every time he got a clear shot on Cinderblock's chest, Starfire would swoop down and ruin the trajectory.

"C'mon... almost... got a clear-"

Grunting in frustration, Cyborg found his shot compromised once again. Bringing his arm back down to his side, he yelled out to Starfire.

"Starfire! Back off, would ya!?"

She didn't even flinch.

Robin shook his head in complete incredulity. His heart was hammering against his ribcage. Why wasn't she listening to any of them?

He could sense that things would only continue to spiral out of control if she didn't cease her barrage of righteous and warrior-like fury on Cinderblock.

He sprinted forward, attempting to get as close as he dared.

"Starfire! Stand down! Now!" He shouted; an authoritive edge to his voice, " _That's an order!_ "

Her head jerked in his direction, like the barrier had been lifted. Her contorted expression of rage disappeared and her features softened again. The vicious glow of her eyes ceased and she looked slightly lost; as if lost in the haze of what she had been doing.

Robin breathed out in relief as she returned to her normal self, only for his eyes to widen again.

It was one of those "blink and you'll miss it" type of moments.

One minute she was floating in the air, looking down at her friends. The next, she was down.

Cinderblock took the brief pause to snatch Starfire's ankle and smash her body against the hard, concrete ground beneath their feet. With each hit, more abrasions appeared over her skin and more cracks were created along the street. He threw her down several times before whipping her through the air and dragging her across the side of a skyscraper.

The windows immediately shattered from the impact and the shards fell through the sky. Some of the pieces of broken glass reached the sidewalk whilst others slipped over her and sliced her skin. The wounds instantly bled, oozing and dribbling over her arms and stomach with a couple scratching her cheek.

Robin couldn't move; momentarily frozen on the spot before reality clicked back into place, "Starfire!" He bellowed, breaking into a sprint, weapons at the ready with the other Titans following suit.

What he didn't count on was Cinderblock holding Starfire limply by her foot and pounding his other fist into the ground just once but that being enough.

The backlash was instant and caught them all off guard.

The street split in two; a large crack rocketing through the middle and stopping just beneath their favourite pizza hangout, the building concaving into itself.

With the Earth shaking, the split extended and broke off, creating a somewhat rock wall, temporarily preventing them from reaching the criminal or their teammate.

Robin growled, his blood pumping furiously around his body. He was angry with so many things. He was angry that Starfire had completely ignored them. He was angry that Cinderblock had gained the upper hand. He was angry that the giant, idiotic piece of rock had his girlfriend in the palm of his hand.

Reaching for his grappling hook, Robin shot it upwards and glided through the air, rolling across the street and landing on his knees, eyes locking on Starfire.

Beast Boy wasted no time morphing into a pterodactyl and offering his talons to Cyborg in order to lift him over the newfound rock piece.

The pair, alongside Raven hurried over the wall and dropped down beside Robin.

The three of them gasped at the sight before them.

It was horrific.

Starfire was hanging upside down, dangling in the air by her foot which was still being grasped by Cinderblock.

Suspended in the air like she was, they could all see how cut up and bruised she was.

Robin felt his heart plummet into his stomach, suddenly feeling his knees become weak.

She looked so lifeless; like a mere rag doll. And, they could see now that she was no longer conscious.

With a slow, menacing smirk, Cinderblock tossed her body into the side of a nearby office compound. Her body smacked against the windows, leaving enough of an impression to make a dent and for the glass to splinter.

She fell away from the ruins of the building, falling through the air before she hit the ground; a somewhat finality of her beating at the hands of Cinderblock.

Robin felt his heart constrict. His breathing got heavier and his blood ran cold, taking a single step in her direction to go to her aid before he felt it.

The street shuddered for a final time, causing the four of them to wobble.

They glanced around, confused at what was causing the trembling.

He snapped his head back towards the building she had just been thrown at, realization hitting him like a ton of bricks.

The building began to crumble.

There was no way he could have reached her in time, the debris falling through the air and piling atop of where she lay in mere seconds.

He was only half aware of his screaming her name as he felt blood pump in his ears, making everything seem so,  _so_  much quieter in that single second.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raven speaks some sense into a worried Robin, as they tend to Starfire.

The corridors were shrouded in darkness and almost silent, with only the sound of hurried footsteps and heavy breathing filling it.

His gloved fingers tightened against her dull skin, usually brimming with life.

He could feel his heart rattling around in his chest, desperate to burst out. His stomach was a mess, swirling and churning with concern to guilt, and everything else in between.

Robin panted as he sped down the hall, clutching Starfire to his chest. He carried her bridal style, secure enough to keep her safe. Her head was of the upmost importance at the moment what with the injuries she may have sustained. He kept her head tilted into his chest, cradling her as best he could.

He could barely tear his eyes away from her wounded body. She had been unconscious for at least 30 minutes now. Every second she wasn't awake was agony for him. He didn't know if it was something big or something small but the concern was growing the longer she didn't blink back at him.

Looking ahead for a second, he noted Raven's cloak swishing back and forth as she made her way towards the infirmary.

Robin swallowed the lump in his throat.

It wasn't often that he abandoned a mission but when a teammate or his girlfriend in this case, had been injured this badly or without knowing what part of her exactly had gotten hurt, it wasn't up for discussion.

Deep down, he knew Cyborg and Beast Boy could handle Cinderblock. Cyborg had once taken down the criminal by himself, after all. After Starfire's little show of power, he had gotten considerably tired so Robin supposed that was a small upside to the mission.

Although he realised his two teammates were capable of taking him down, he couldn't help but feel guilty. The minute the dust had cleared from the debris, he had sprinted over and dug Starfire out from beneath all of the rocks, before shouting for Raven.

After the empath sensed Starfire's state, she advised their leader it would be best to get her to the infirmary and to do it soon. So, with that in mind, Robin deferred to Cyborg and got swept into the sorceress' cloak, with Starfire in tow.

He shook his head, trying to relieve himself of the remorse. They would be fine. That was what he needed to keep telling himself.

Glancing down at Starfire again, he shook his head. What had she been thinking? Why hadn't she responded to their orders?

Robin briefly pressed his cheek to her forehead and noted Raven stepping through the infirmary door.

She was already prepping the IV's and monitors, as well as the bed so that they could get Starfire under watch immediately.

Robin stood there, feeling a little useless whilst he simply held an unconscious Starfire whose hair was now pooling around her face like a scarf.

Raven's dark eyes flashed to him, "Put her down here." She told him,

The boy wonder jolted a little, realising she was talking to him. Robin gulped and hurried over, taking careful and gentle movements to ensure he didn't worsen her condition in any way.

He was slow as he laid her head against the pillow. Considering that was their main priority for the moment, he wanted to make sure he didn't damage anything further than it may already be.

"Okay, now move back." Raven muttered, tucking down the bedding over the edges of the mattress for the time being.

Robin blinked behind his mask, eyes still not leaving Starfire's face. Somewhere deep inside of him, he hoped she would just open her eyes and give him one of her sunshine smiles.

But the realistic part of his brain knew that wasn't going to happen.

Not yet anyway.

In a completely innocent gesture, Robin pushed some of her hair away from her face and behind her ear. He desperately tried to ignore the blood that smeared across her cheek in doing the action.

He swallowed the lump in his throat. He needed something to do. He needed to help in  _some_  way. He felt irritable and worried as he just continued to stand there and stare at her whilst Raven was running around, hooking her up and injecting all sorts of things to stabilise her before she began to physically check and heal her.

With the heart monitor, the drip and the vital systems all active and beeping, Raven breathed a sigh of relief.

Robin looked at her, wanting information, "Is she okay?"

Raven eyed him, feeling sympathy for him, "I don't know yet. But, her heartbeat is there which is always a better sign than hearing nothing."

He eyed the monitor, "But it... it's so faint."

"She's weak and was hit with a lot of rubble from that building. I need to do a thorough check to have a better understanding of what's going on."

Raven's blue eyes swept over Starfire's form before hesitating on the sight of her boots. Without further delay, she reached for the thigh high, purple boots and began to tug them off of her best friend's feet.

Robin blushed. He couldn't help it.

He raised his eyebrows at her, "Wh-whoa... what are you doing?"

Raven sighed and rolled her eyes, "If I'm going to clean her wounds and heal them, I need to remove her clothes and put her into a gown. You know that."

Robin's blush deepened and he rubbed the back of his neck, "Right... I've just never seen... I didn't know you... uh-"

She shook her head as she dropped the torn boots to the floor. She reached and unbuckled Starfire's belt, pausing long enough to look at a flushed Robin.

Puffing out a breath, she tilted her head at her leader, "Why don't you go and get a fresh uniform for her?" She paused, "Looking at her wounds... I'm thinking she isn't going to be out for too long... especially if I start healing her soon."

Robin nodded quickly, feeling incredibly awkward with Raven undressing his girlfriend. He turned on his heel and strode from the infirmary, keeping his eyes on Starfire's face until he was completely out of the room.

He sighed as he walked down the hallway towards Starfire's room.

Emotions were his enemy right now and he was feeling pretty bombarded by them all. He was angry; angry at her for blatantly ignoring each and every one of them like that. It really gave a new meaning to her  _Princess_  status if she had been doing it on purpose to prove something to him.

He softened, knowing Starfire wouldn't do that. She would never disobey him or the others out of spite. It just wasn't in her, especially knowing that people could get hurt. She was the most caring person he had ever met. There must have been a reason for her haze of fury. He'd just have to wait to speak to her to find out what that reason was.

Robin was more so confused about that little display she had shown. It was just so out of character for her. He knew she could be destructive and that she held back  _a lot_ on her powers normally, but this was as if that was all she was feeling. He couldn't help but wonder at it.

Mainly, however, Robin felt remorse concerning their fight. He didn't like arguing with her. It never sat right with him on account of them being so very close. He knew it wasn't either of their faults really and that they both had their reasons. He just hoped Starfire would wake up soon so that they could talk things through rationally like they should have done in the first place.

Approaching her door, Robin found himself running his fingertips over the embossed letters spelling out, 'STARFIRE'.

He typed in the override code and wandered inside, feeling an eerie tingle at the utter silence inside.

Robin was suddenly taking notice of the inside of his girlfriend's dwelling. He couldn't help but smirk. It was just so  _her_.

Although having been a frequent visitor to her bedroom, even before they started dating and hung out together as friends, he had never truly studied her room.

It was pink; very,  _very_  pink with some streaks of purple. The walls were a lighter shade whilst the floor was darker, creating a fuchsia contrast.

Another thing that hit him instantly was her familiar strawberry scent. Whether it was perfume or her natural fragrance, he still couldn't be sure but it was  _heavenly_ , regardless. It was refreshing and sweet with a tropical tinge; a little bit like Starfire herself.

He eyed her round bed with the heavily indented pillow sitting at the head of it, noting the indents down to Starfire still taking to resting her feet on them every now and then. Her quirks were so strange and yet, he thought they were adorable.

All around the room, there were scattered items. There were fluffy, colourful plushies all sat up at the top of her bed whilst Tamaranian artefacts were perched on some of the shelves, which he made a mental note to ask about when she woke.

There was a selection of bedroom furniture too; a bedside table, an ottoman at the end of her bed and a light coloured vanity desk; one that he knew she sat at to brush her long, auburn hair before bed.

He sighed and walked around her bed, eyeing the surface of her vanity table a little more. He quirked an eyebrow at all the makeup products settled on the table. There was a vast amount which left him bewildered, especially at how many bottles of foundation there were.

Robin smirked; he couldn't understand why she had so much of the stuff. From his knowledge, she barely used makeup, especially for her skin. He shook his head. He guessed that she must be exceptional at applying it in order to give herself a natural kind of appearance.

Continuing towards her wardrobe, he opened it and quickly scanned the inside, grabbing a fresh new uniform.

As Robin turned, he caught a glimpse of images pinned up by her bed which he had never truly taken notice of.

Stepping closer to her bed, he peered closer. A small, affectionate smile began to form across his lips.

Pinned up on the wall were several photos. There were group photos of the Titans at holidays such as Christmas, Thanksgiving and Halloween; times of year the team always spent together.

He gently touched the edge of a very old looking photo. It was discoloured and ripped in multiple corners and even had a scorch mark up near the top. It appeared to be Starfire as a child, with people who looked remarkably alike stood around her.

Robin smiled, assuming this group were most likely Starfire's family.

He found it strange that he had never really looked at these before. With a sigh, he wondered if he was only taking notice now because of how badly things had gone down between them before their mission.

Shaking his head and straightening up, Robin inhaled a deep breath and made his way back out of the Princess' room.

As he stood before the door to the infirmary, he suddenly had the bright idea to knock... just in case.

"It's fine. She's dressed." Raven's voice floated through.

Exhaling and fighting a new blush from arising, Robin made his way inside and slowed his footsteps before reaching the end of her bed and placing the uniform by her feet.

"Whoa..." Robin breathed,

Raven nodded, pressing a few buttons on the machines, "Yep... looks better than before, hm?"

"I mean... she still looks really hurt... the dust made it look worse?"

"Yes... and the dried blood. The dirt and dust all made it look more serious."

Robin found himself standing on Starfire's bedside, opposite Raven. He slipped his hand beneath hers and entangled their fingers.

He did a sweep of her with his eyes, inwardly grimacing. She had several scratches across her face and body whilst some ran a little deeper. She had a particular slash on her temple that Robin couldn't help but worry about. It looked harsh and very bloody. He prayed that it was nothing more than a cut.

As his eyes slid over her, he frowned. Her leg seemed twisted and there was bruising around her eye and forehead. Robin swallowed the lump in his throat and squeezed her hand.

"So... how is she?" Robin croaked, anxious for Raven's reply.

"Well, a lot better than we first thought, actually."

Robin breathed out, "Really?"

She nodded, "She's got quite a few nasty cuts but they'll soon start to disappear once I begin healing her. Her ankle is twisted where Cinderblock used her as a doll against the ground... again, bruising obviously around her eye... bruising on the back of her shoulders and a good portion of her back."

His frown deepened, "The bruising doesn't seem so bad, yet."

"It's not. I'm only going to heal her ankle and her head for now and this cut on her temple. They're the important parts I want to get fixed to prevent issues later. The bruising can be brought out in a traditional, ice kind of way."

Robin nodded, his eyes lingering on her head, "Concussion?"

Raven tilted her head, "Doesn't seem to be. I mean, I've ran diagnostics and everything seems fine. We won't know for sure until she wakes up but I'm not seeing any signs of a concussion. She's quite a trooper."

He quirked a smile, "She is."

"I  _will_  heal the bruising but later... I'll need to rest up to regain energy. So, she'll be a little battered and bruised and not as pretty for a little while."

Robin's smile broadened and he carefully brushed her bangs out of her eyes, "She's gorgeous; bruises and cuts or not."

Raven gave into a warm smile, tapping into the emotions that Robin was radiating right now; the most sincere emotion being affection for the girl lying unconscious between them.

Cracking her knuckles, her hands began to glow a light, periwinkle. She quietly chanted her mantra a few times before lowering her hands to Starfire's forehead, starting the healing process and letting her power flow through the alien.

Robin reluctantly let go of Starfire's hand and flopped back into the chair beside the bed, running a hand through his ebony spikes.

"So..." Raven began, "what happened?"

He looked up, "What?"

"Clearly, there was a reason she was acting somewhat different... would I be right in assuming it had something to do with you or your relationship at least?"

Robin sighed, folding his arms over his chest.

"Did you want to talk about it?"

He was silent for a long time before he mumbled, "It was so stupid... I-I don't know why it escalated so quickly..."

"Start at the beginning."

"We argued about sharing a bed."

Raven's hands froze before she shook her head and raised an eyebrow, "What?"

"Well... the other night... we slept together and-"

Something in the atmosphere suddenly darkened and Raven glared at him, her demon eyes almost burning through, " _What?_ " She hissed,

Robin's eyes widened and he lifted his hands in defence, "No, wait-"

Her expression thundered even more, "Tell me you didn't have sex with her and then dump her, you son of a-"

"Raven! Stop! Look, we didn't have sex! God, neither of us is even close to that yet. I meant we platonically slept together. As in, side by side. Just sleeping."

The empath narrowed her daggers at him a moment longer before backing off and softening her facial expression.

"Oh." She stated,

"You know she hates storms and she asked me to stay with her so I did."

"I'm failing to see what the issue is here."

"I-I distanced myself from her today... like a lot. She thought she had done something wrong when of course, she hadn't. It... was just me being stupid... like usual."

" _That's_  why she was all nervous about going to talk to you."

Robin nodded and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, "I didn't mean to... I just... It-"

Raven moved her hands down towards Starfire's twisted ankle and continued to heal her,

"Robin?"

"Yeah?"

"Would I be right in guessing this has nothing to do with sharing a bed?"

"H-huh?"

She rolled her eyes, "Empath, remember?"

Robin looked away, "I tend to forget that."

"You've got some deeper emotions going on there. I can feel it. This isn't something as insignificant as sharing a bed with your girlfriend. God knows, you did it when you weren't dating."

Robin felt his ears burn, "H-how did you know that?"

Raven smirked, keeping her eyes downcast, "Starfire and I have a lot more 'girl talks' than you're aware of."

The boy wonder cleared his throat, " _Right_... well, yeah... we did and... it didn't feel as weird as it did the other night."

"Was it nice?"

His eyes widened, "Wh-what?"

"I thought you had good hearing."

He shifted, "Well... yeah... it was nice and... affectionate and stuff..."

"So, you share a bed with your girlfriend and you both like it. What's the problem?"

"You're one to talk like it's so simple, Raven."

She eyed him, "I'm not the one having issues about it."

Robin exhaled noisily and shook his head, "You won't understand."

She gave him a look, "Try me."

"Well... I know it's stupid... but a part of me feels like it  _is_  rushing into something. I don't know how to explain it... I know it's not exactly something to freak out over... but I guess I'm... I-I think-"

She cleared her throat, "Do you know what I think?" She paused, "I think you're scared. I think you're scared of crossing the boundary between friendship and romance with Starfire, whereas she's kinda overtaken you with that. She's ready to be more and I think you are too... you just need to realise it."

He looked up at, asking her to continue with his expression,

"I think you're scared that it'll be different and I think you're scared of the unknown between the two of you. This relationship... it's not something you can control and that scares you a little. You want it to work but you're afraid to fall in case you crash rather than getting caught."

She lifted a hand back up to Starfire's head, resting her fingers near her temple.

Raven eyed him carefully, "And amongst all of that... I think you're scared because she's the closest anyone has ever gotten. You and I are close but it's nothing compared to the two of you. She's important to you; very important. You don't want her to get hurt but you don't want to keep her close enough for you to get hurt either."

Robin looked down at his lap, lacing his fingers together, "Heh... you know... I think you should start charging us for your psychoanalysis."

Raven snorted, "Believe me, I know."

He sat up, "I-I think you're right though..."

"Of course, I'm right."

Robin smirked before shaking his head, "How do I get past this?"

Raven sighed and watched him, "Robin, you need to be honest with Starfire. You have to tell her when you're feeling unsure or scared. How else will she know? It's easy to talk about it with me but she isn't a mind reader." She paused, "I'm not saying become a big open book of emotions but... it will really help to talk about it with Starfire. She'll understand. This is Starfire we're talking about."

Robin nodded slowly, a reassured smile forming on his face, "I think I can give that a try..."

"And I know it's not easy for you... but if your gut is telling you it's okay, then go with it."

"What'd you mean?"

"When you're opening up and trying more with Starfire, then go with it if it feels okay. Otherwise, you guys will never learn and never be able to form a deeper relationship."

He nodded before chuckling, "Who knew you'd be such a good love expert, huh?"

Raven smirked, "Apparently my skills are endless."

She retracted her hands and stretched her arms out in front of her, the glow of her power dissipating.

"There. Head and ankle are all healed up for now. We'll look into the bruising a little later, maybe when she's woken up."

"So, she'll be alright?"

Raven nodded, "Mhm. For now, she just needs to rest. She still took a hell of a hit... or  _hits_  in her case. She should wake up later this evening."

"Got it."

Glancing at the clock on the wall, Raven pulled her hood up, "I'm going to go back and help Cyborg and Beast Boy finish up with Cinderblock."

Feeling the need to offer, Robin got to his feet, "Should I-"

She rolled her eyes and made a face to which Robin responded by slowly sliding back down into his seat.

"We can handle it, Robin. The last thing we need is you spacing out in concern and ending up in the infirmary bed next to her."

Robin chuckled nervously, "Right..."

"If she wakes up and complains of pain or anything, her reinforced tablets are up in the cabinet. Only give her one for now though or she'll get drowsy."

The boy wonder nodded, "Understood, mom."

She scowled at him but he merely grinned.

Raven shook her head and started walking towards the exit, stopping just shy to place a hand on Robin's shoulder.

"And Robin?"

He meekly looked up at her, "Yeah?"

"Don't worry. She'll understand where you're coming from. Just because she's a little more open, doesn't mean she's any less scared."

Robin blinked, "Really?"

Raven nodded, "Of course. She cares about you a lot too, you know. She doesn't want to mess up either."

He blushed but smiled and lifted a hand to pat hers that was still on his shoulder, "Thanks Raven."

The empath nodded, slipping her hand off of his shoulder and taking her leave.

Robin exhaled loudly and pulled his chair forward a little more in order to take Starfire's hand again. He brought it up and softly kissed the back of it.

Raven had well and truly patient profiled him. He was scared. He was terrified about whether the relationship would work, whether it wouldn't. This wasn't common territory and he hoped she was right. He hoped talking to Starfire about it would ease how he felt and they would be able to approach this in a better way.

"Wake up soon for me, Star... we've gotta talk through some things." He whispered,

He remained like that for a while, merely sitting within the silence with the exception of the faint beeping of the monitors and infirmary equipment.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Starfire wakes up to an honest, open conversation with Robin.

The stretched ache over the majority of her body was what she registered first. Second, was the dim throbbing at the back and front of her head. She felt like someone had hit her in the face with a truck.

A  _heavy_  truck at that.

Her head was swimming; feeling clouded by the confusion of what had happened.

Groaning, she turned her head left and right before trying to peek her eyes open. She was having trouble adjusting to the harshness of the fluorescent light within the infirmary.

Starfire whimpered as the light washed over her. For some reason, she hadn't exactly been expecting a strobe of light and it stung to look at it too much right now.

Tugging a hand, she grimaced. Her vision was bleary but it was enough to understand there was an IV drip pierced in through her hand. Taking a calming breath, she tried to open her eyes fully.

Although a tad groggy, Starfire viewed her surroundings, taking in the sight of the infirmary. It was still a little hazy; what exactly had gone down between them and Cinderblock. But, she assumed she had been hurt badly enough to wind up in this room so she wasn't going to question things too much.

She could hear the faint beep of her own heart monitor speed up as she started to shuffle, attempting to gather her bearings.

Pain shot through her back, all the way through to the base of her skull.

"Oh..." She murmured, leaning back again. That was  _not_  a good feeling.

Starfire imagined that this was what humans felt when they suffered from the hangovers. Beast Boy's description sounded very much akin to her own feelings about now. She felt achy and nauseous, with a thumping headache rattling around upstairs.

The Princess assumed she probably didn't look too great, considering how she felt.

She suddenly caught a shift of movement out of the corner of her eye. Starfire slowly turned her head to see what it was and frowned, creasing her eyebrows in confusion.

As she blinked away her sleepiness, her emeralds focused on the ebony haired boy, apparently napping in the chair with a blanket thrown across his lap.

She grunted as she slipped closer to the edge of the bed. Reaching out a hand, her fingertips brushed against his knee and she tilted her head as best as she could,

"R-Robin?" She croaked, voice hoarse from not being used.

He jolted before slowly becoming aware of his surroundings. He glanced around before his eyes alighted on Starfire who was staring at him.

"Huh? What?" He mumbled, causing Starfire to smile softly at his confusion,

Robin remained dazed until he looked up at her face and his mask widened in realisation. He sat forward, taking her hand in his and brushed his thumb across her fingers.

"Star..." He breathed,

She tilted her head, "Greetings..."

"You had us all pretty scared for a while there. How are you feeling?"

Starfire scrunched up her face, "Sore... however, I do not feel pain exactly."

"That's good... and you don't feel confused or anything?"

She smiled, knowing what he was searching for, "I do not believe I have suffered the concussion, no Robin."

He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand, "You got me."

Her green eyes scanned him, "Please... you are the okay?"

Robin felt his lips quirk into a smile. Even when she was lying in an infirmary bed after being hurt, her first thoughts were for others' wellbeing.

"I'm fine." He paused, sensing her impending question, "and so are the others, before you ask."

Starfire blushed and nodded. The silence between them was one of trepidation. They were thinking about the same thing but Starfire got to asking first.

"Robin... are  _we_  the okay?" She asked, quietly,

Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair and gripped her hand a little tighter.

"Star... about before... I'm sorry. I didn't mean for things to get so out of control over something so stupid. I-I didn't mean for things to go that way at all."

"Please... you are not solely at fault. I should not have tried to pressure you-"

"You weren't-"

"But I know it may have come across that way. I do not wish to change or modify you, Robin... whilst I did not understand why you had the problem with sharing a bed with me; I should have accepted your reasoning."

He looked downcast, "It... wasn't about the bed... I hope you know that."

She peered at him, "Then... what was it about, Robin?"

Robin looked up at her and could see the pleading in her eyes. He bit his lip and hesitated.

"Please, Robin... I would never force you or...  _manipulate_ you into doing anything you did not wish to as I know you would never do either."

"God... I'm sorry for saying that. I didn't mean that... I... it was said in the heat of the moment, Star. I swear."

She half smiled, "I know."

There was another pause and he was still conflicted, debating whether or not to take Raven's advice and just open up. This was Starfire after all. He trusted her more than anyone and had every faith that she would never try to hurt him.

"Robin... please... I need you to tell me what you are feeling... if not, we will never be able to overcome small issues within our relationship."

He lifted his head and swallowed, "I know... I-I wasn't off with you because we shared a bed, Star... I just... I'm scared..."

Starfire's eyebrows rose, "Of me?"

"No, no. Not of you... I'm scared of us... I-I don't do feelings that much and if I do, then I push them away. I've always been taught that emotions can lead to people getting hurt and making mistakes that I can't afford to make."

Her expression was compassionate and she gently squeezed his hand, "Robin... I know that the Batman taught you these things very early on in your life but... the absence of emotions can be just as debilitating. Without emotions of all kinds, you are distant and cold. How can you possibly be able to correct an injustice if there is no care there?"

"I've... never really looked at it that way."

"Do not misinterpret me, Robin. You are so loving and so caring and so kind but you attempt to hide these feelings because you think they will end up hurting you like an enemy which, they may. But, that is a part of learning. You believe these feelings will make you weak but they do not. Emotions make you stronger. They give you the purpose to try harder in the job which we do."

Robin nodded. Two philosophies from two very different people. He didn't want to be Batman. He didn't want to end up cold and stoic and so very lonely. He wanted to let people in and to trust the ones who he knew he could. Starfire's words were so much more appealing.

"Please... this is why you are scared?"

"Sort of... I'm worried; I guess... of what will change now because we're dating. I'm scared about what will be different between us... about crossing  _that_  line. I mean, once we cross it, we can't go back. I guess..." He sighed, "I don't want this relationship not to work and end up losing you as a friend, Star. I don't want to rush into it, in case it fucks everything up."

Starfire initially gave him a look at his use of a curse word but let it slip. Her expression softened and she watched him as he played with the emerald gem of her gauntlet.

"Robin..." She said, grabbing his attention instantly, "I fear this also. You are not alone. I am frightened of what the future holds in case it is not what we want. I am very scared of shifting our relationship into a romantic one because... I am not experienced in that area, much like you. But, we must learn... together."

"I know... I guess, I just forget. Raven was in here earlier and was trying to analyze what I was feeling... something she said was that I'm scared of things going wrong and ending up hurt."

Her eyebrows furrowed, "I would never hurt you, Robin. I can assure you of that."

Robin looked up and smiled, "I know... and I trust you more than anyone... I guess I'm just scared of opening up too much."

"I would never ask you to be as open as perhaps I am, Robin. But... I wish you could realise that I would never ever hurt you or take your trust and break it."

He brushed some of her hair behind her ear, "I know that too..." He whispered,

"Please... continue."

"You matter to me, Star... a lot. I guess I'm just worried that trying to shift our friendship into a romantic relationship will ruin us."

She smiled, "Robin... the foundation of our relationship is one of friendship. You do not need to worry so much. I know this is something in which you cannot control but you must allow yourself to be open with such feelings when you experience them. Do not bottle them up just to have them explode over something such as the sharing of a bed."

He nodded, keeping his focus completely on her.

"I am nervous also... I do not wish to make the mistakes with this. However, sometimes it cannot be helped. We must learn together and overcome problems that may arise."

"Raven was right about you."

She raised an eyebrow, "Excuse me?"

Robin smiled, "She said you were already ahead of me in this... ready to be more than friends."

Starfire giggled, "I believe I have had enough time to prepare. I realised how I felt for you a long time ago, Robin. I believe your feelings were there but you yourself have only just realised them and so you are confused at how to deal with them."

"You got me... again." He smirked,

"We will do the figuring of things out as they come up, Robin. We do not need to have all of the answers right now."

He nodded, "I'm sorry about the bed thing, by the way... if you want to, we can keep doing it."

Starfire looked thoughtful, "No."

His eyebrows shot up, "No?"

She shook her head, "No." Starfire paused, "Whilst it is not something to argue over or that is the big deal, I can understand why you used it to mask how you truly felt."

"You can?"

"The act itself is insignificant however; I believe my assumption that we may keep doing it without question frightened you. You felt it was rushing our relationship because to continue sharing a bed without saying so, implies getting too comfortable too quickly. I agree we should still have the boundaries whilst we are learning."

"But you-"

"Are content with whatever we choose to do in our relationship Robin. Presently, it causes you discomfort to make it a regular occurrence. I do not wish to cause you the inner turmoil. I want you to do things with me because you are happy and comfortable, not because you feel you  _need_  to. We must compromise and do what we feel is best."

"Are you sure? You enjoyed it so much."

Starfire tapped her lips, "How would you feel about a negotiation?"

Robin smirked, "I'm listening."

"Perhaps... we can still share a bed. However, to prevent a feeling of rushing into anything, we merely ask one another beforehand. Neither of us will expect it but may ask if the other wishes to. That way, we will not slip into getting too comfortable sooner than either of us would like."

Robin nodded, "Asking beforehand. So very simple and yet, something we didn't think of before."

Starfire laughed, "I believe that is the beauty of the hindsight."

The masked boy grinned and stared at her, a warmth in his gaze, "I'm sorry about not telling you how I was really feeling, Star... I know, if I had, we probably wouldn't have argued."

"You were not yet ready to open up and explain yourself. And please know, I am very grateful that you have explained. I wish to tell you that you are allowed to be scared. I am too but we will be okay, as long as we talk to one another."

He nodded before lifting her hand and pressing a kiss to the back of it. She smiled and then lost it almost immediately.

"Please... I wish to apologise again, Robin."

Robin raised an eyebrow.

"My behaviour during our battle with Cinderblock... I am most sorry that I remained ignorant to your orders."

His hand slipped from hers as he crossed his arms over his chest, a stern expression fixing itself upon his face, "Oh yeah... we need to talk about that."

Starfire gulped, "I have no form of excuse... it was highly unprofessional of me and I apologise profusely."

"Starfire... the way you acted was extremely dangerous. You could have gotten hurt even worse than you were. Not only that, you could have gotten your teammates hurt or even a civilian."

She nodded, ashamed.

"I'm saying this purely as your leader... and as your friend. It was reckless and negligent to behave like that. Don't do it again, or I won't hesitate to suspend you from future missions."

Starfire frowned, feeling guilty, "Yes, Robin."

Robin sighed, "I mean it, Starfire. You can't be that irresponsible, no matter what's happened between us."

"I know. I truly am, very sorry. I did not mean to."

He shuffled forwards, dragging his chair closer to her bed. He laced their fingers together once more and offered her a small smile,

"As your boyfriend... I'm just relieved you're alright and I guess I'm kinda at fault too. I know you were affected by our argument."

She shrugged, "Such is life when my powers are tied so closely to my emotions."

Robin raised an eyebrow, "I'm curious though."

"Oh?"

"What happened? Why were you ignoring us? I know you were angry at me but-"

Starfire sighed, "Not angry... I... was hurt and confused as to why you were acting strangely with me. To ensure my ability of flight remained intact for our mission, I channelled my anger in order to balance my emotions. From my anger, I was able to keep some joyful thoughts in mind and so it enabled me to fly... however, I believe I got the carried away..."

Robin nodded in understanding, "I see..."

"Once I was fully immersed in my anger... I could not hear anything; I could not see anything beyond Cinderblock, I... I am sorry."

He chewed his lip slightly before nodding, "Just... for future reference. Tell me the truth on how you're feeling before we go out on a mission. Even if we're in an argument... you have to tell me. I need to know where your powers are at if we're going into a battle."

Starfire nodded, "Understood."

He smiled, "That's my girl."

She beamed at him, feeling the lift in their relationship again. They would be okay. This, she knew.

Robin sighed and played with her slender fingers, "Do you need anything? Pain relief? Another pillow?"

Starfire brought a finger to her chin, considering, "Hm... I believe I require the cuddle."

He blinked at her and chuckled, getting up out of the chair and sitting on the edge of her bed. He wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her in for a warm embrace. Starfire smiled and wound her arms around his neck, burying her face against his shoulder whilst he dropped a kiss against hers.

Robin exhaled; feeling reassured and like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He had faith in their relationship and in their friendship. He still felt nervous but at least he could share and learn with Starfire. They would work things out together.

He could try to open up more for her.

Starfire softly kissed his cheek before mock gasping, "Robin! I believe I may also require the kiss."

Robin smirked and pulled back to look at her, "Well, I'm not gonna say no to that."

She giggled as he leaned forward and captured her lips with his own, touching her cheek with his fingertips and pouring his emotions into the kiss, silently telling her that they would be able to work through anything they faced.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin takes his girl on a long overdue date which leads to another new step in their relationship, not without its surprises.

Reds mixed with browns and deep tones of orange were all that could be seen in the piles of leaves that had taken up residence upon the chilly streets of the city.

Autumn had well and truly begun to set in a fortnight after their bust up with Cinderblock, resulting in Starfire being placed in the infirmary for just over a day. It was a cautionary waiting time. Cyborg had told Robin that Starfire was fine but he advised staying in the infirmary just a little longer to be completely sure.

The bitter wind sailed through, lifting everything it could into the sky. Crispy leaves shook and fell from the bare branches of trees whilst night seemed to arrive quicker. People tugged up the collars of their coats as they prepared themselves for the colder seasons to come. It was always around October time that the weather tended to drop.

Chills and shivers were more common and it would soon see the start of sniffles and sneezes.

However, autumn could be truly beautiful with the contrasts of golden, honey and coral colours against the chocolate and burgundy purples.

After Cyborg had given his full consent for Starfire to return to her room and active duty once again, an idea had struck Robin.

He knew how much Starfire enjoyed seeing how the seasons changed Earth and after their most recent blip, he decided it was high time he took his girlfriend on a date. A proper date; away from missions and the tower. Just the two of them.

A date was, after all, highly overdue.

He wanted to show that he was capable of overcoming his fears and concerns surrounding their relationship. Robin could play the boyfriend. He  _could_.

And, he wanted to prove that to Starfire. He wanted to prove he was capable of treating her like a girlfriend without paying much mind to it.

Robin decided that it wasn't asking for much for him to just let go and go with the flow. If it felt right, then he would go with it.

Starfire had recovered nicely. Her healing process had been rapid but then again, none of them really doubted her. Tamaranians, as Starfire always reminded them, were most resilient and merely required some time to mend after being injured.

The two of them had agreed to stay in uniform. Whilst Robin had told Cyborg only to contact them if absolutely necessary, he couldn't completely shake leader mode and they felt if it was completely mandatory, they would be ready.

A sharp screech of the R-Cycle's back tyre rang through the twilight and Starfire squealed, clutching at Robin a little tighter as he turned a corner.

He couldn't help but smirk a little as he heard Starfire huff.

Her arms relaxed a fraction around his middle but snuggled against his back, resting her chin up on his shoulder. She shifted a little to get comfy, what with both of them wearing helmets but she found a snug position.

"Do you truly have to do that when taking the sharp turns?" Starfire grumbled,

Robin chuckled and leaned back into her as he loosened up on the speed they were going at,

"I thought you didn't mind my driving?"

He felt her shrug, "I do not... when you warn me that you are about to do so."

Robin laced his voice with mock sympathy, "Aw, well, I'm sorry, Star."

Starfire narrowed her eyes even though he couldn't see her, "I am beginning to suspect that you do it on purpose to receive the tighter embraces from me."

He grinned, "That might have something to do with it."

Sensing the affection in his tone, Starfire ran her hands up and across his chest, desiring as much contact from him as she could get.

Robin gulped and felt his cheeks flush, heat radiating throughout his entire body. She was so warm and he practically melted under her touch, even if it was still through a layer of clothing.

He softly smiled, nonetheless. Her affection was so easy to get lost in and it was so very easy to be with her. She welcomed touch and care and he felt he could really show off a more gentle side with her and not worry about it in the slightest.

They weren't travelling far tonight. Deciding to stay close enough to be called upon if they really and truly were needed but not too close that they felt they weren't actually getting away for the night.

Robin made one final turn into a parking lot, slowing it down and not doing it at a sharp angle, keeping the Princess sat behind him in mind. She hummed a giggle for his consideration.

As soon as they located a free space, Starfire dismounted the bike and removed her helmet, placing it where she had previously been sitting.

Switching off the engine, Robin found himself gazing at Starfire after removing his own helmet.

There was something almost erotic about the way she shifted and stretched her limbs. Her body contorted in the best kind of way, showing off her curves and gorgeous shape and Robin found it utterly tantalizing.

She shook her hair and ran her fingers through her auburn tendrils to smooth out her long tresses.

Starfire exhaled and flashed a smile at Robin who smirked in response. He got off of the bike and locked it up, before offering her his hand.

"Good to go?" He asked, feeling tranquil,

The Princess beamed at him and laced their fingers together before wandering through to lot towards the main sidewalk.

The couple found themselves walking alongside an open fielded park. It had few trees and bushes but was serene, nonetheless.

On the other side of them, they had the metal railings with water running through just below. It was a wide river and there was bridge connecting the two parts of the city, in the distance.

Starfire was the first to notice something particularly special about the park and she couldn't help but tug Robin more so in that direction, rather than straight ahead.

There were several rows of string lights crisscrossing between the trees with even more fairy lights wrapped around the branches and the barks of trees, lighting up the entire woodland area. The tall streetlamps provided an illuminated pathway just up ahead but Starfire was drawn to the lit up park like a moth to a flame.

Starfire couldn't help the gasp that fell from her lips as she looped her arm around Robin's to clutch at her boyfriend in excitement.

"Oh! Robin, look!" She bubbled, floating a couple of centimetres off of the ground,

It may have been evening time but there were still plenty of people strolling around with friends and family. And, when Robin took a look around, he could see why.

There were small stalls set up all around the park selling sweets and cakes, hot snacks, ornaments, toys and even fashion accessories. Music and mouth watering scents were drifting through the air, intoxicating the people that came into contact with them.

Robin chuckled, "This city really surprises me sometimes..."

"Oh... it is all so beautiful..." Starfire breathed,

With a warm smile thrown in her direction, Robin squeezed her hand and pulled her further into the park. Starfire was practically buzzing with excitement as she floated alongside him.

Of course, being a couple  _and_  the city's protectors, the two of them did seem to get a few eager whispers and stares but it was hardly distracting. Robin merely nodded to a few civilians whilst Starfire gave them polite waves.

Aside from that, Starfire barely even registered the looks of amazement from the civilians around them. She was much more preoccupied with seeing everything the adorable stalls had to offer.

After spending a fair amount of time visiting a range of little stalls with cute toys and tasty sweets, Robin felt his stomach rumble. He gently nudged Starfire in order to get her attention.

"Are you hungry?"

"Famished."

Robin grinned and tapped the back of her hand, "C'mon."

The two of them made their way over to a brightly lit hotdog cart, eager to devour said food as the delicious aroma filled their senses.

They kept their order simple, ordering two regular sized hotdogs and a large soda to share.

Robin smirked as he watched Starfire out of the corner of his eye whilst he squirted a small amount of ketchup on his snack.

It was just one of her quirks that people outside of the team wouldn't understand but in turn was so humorous to see. A young boy was staring at Starfire with eyes as wide as saucers as she practically drowned her entire hotdog in mustard, just about emptying the container.

He let her too. Whilst others saw her passion for mustard as strange, Robin found it incredibly endearing and adorable. She was so enthralled by the condiment, who was he to deny her of it?

Walking hand in hand, they found an empty picnic table and sat themselves down opposite one another.

Starfire took a bite of her savoury snack, eyes twinkling at the taste. She wordlessly scanned the area before tilting her head and looking to Robin,

"Please..." She paused to swallow, "why is the park filled with such glorious little huts and lights? There is an event that we are unaware of?"

Robin shrugged, "Maybe something like a charity event? Or it could be because it's getting closer to December. They usually set up market like events the closer it gets to Christmas."

Starfire nodded, "Did  _you_  know it was holding such a wonderful display before we came tonight?"

He rubbed the back of his neck, "Honestly, no... I had just planned a walk together but this kinda blows that away."

The red headed woman furrowed her eyebrows before reaching across the table and intertwining their fingers together.

She smiled, "The stroll would still be lovely, Robin. Simply spending time with you is all that I wish for, regardless of what we do."

Robin offered her a bashful smile and rubbed her thumb against her skin, "We'll take a walk after we finish eating, if you want to?"

Starfire's eyes lit up, "That would be most enjoyable, Robin."

He nodded before taking another bite of his hotdog, eyeing Starfire as she slurped some of the soda through a neon pink bendy straw she had discovered over at the cart.

Robin chuckled, "Oh, by the way, I'm pretty sure they had to replace the bottle of mustard you practically stole from them."

Starfire blushed but smirked, "I do so enjoy the mustard. It is tangy yet delicious."

Her boyfriend shook his head and took a sip of the soda, placed between them.

The Princess sighed in content and smiled as she glanced around, "This is truly wonderful, Robin... thank you for bringing me here for the date."

He quirked a smile, "Well, I thought we could probably use a night out together. God knows, we deserve it."

"I wish we could do it more often..." She murmured,

"We will... I promise."

Starfire looked up, her expression softening, "Truly?"

He nodded, "That whole issue a couple weeks back, Star... I wasn't kidding when I said I would try to be more open and everything. I don't know why I was fighting it... I-I  _want_  to spend more time with you."

"Please, I wish for you to know how much I truly appreciate your efforts. It means so very much to me... however, how are you feeling... about us?"

"I'm starting to relax a lot more... I get what you and Raven were saying. I just need to loosen up with the idea of having you as my girlfriend and... I'm really enjoying trying new things like this with you."

Starfire's cheeks tinged pink and she softly smiled, "I am glad... I also enjoy trying new things like the dates with you, Robin."

He smirked, "Well, that's good."

She giggled before tilting her head, "I believe we should attempt to have more outings with our friends where we can, also."

"Yeah?"

She nodded, "I believe we have lacked the hanging out together outside of the tower since we returned from Tokyo... and that was some months ago now."

Robin bobbed his head, showing that he was following her words, "Maybe we'll tell them about here?"

She beamed at him, "An excellent idea, Robin."

He shrugged in a jokingly smug gesture, "Well,  _you_  know me."

Starfire giggled and absently played with his gloved fingers whilst chewing another bite of her hotdog, "I believe we all need the nights out of the tower, every so often... before emotions run high and we become..."

As she trailed off, Robin smirked, "Too lobstery?"

She blinked before she burst out laughing, remembering her faux pas on her use of the English language a couple of years back.

Starfire collected herself and raised her eyebrows at him, "Uh-uh, Robin... I believe the correct term is the 'crabby'." She paused, "See? I am improving!"

Robin chuckled, "You are indeed, Star."

She cast her eyes down at the hotdog in her hand, a cheeky smile forming on her face, "Perhaps I have gained more knowledge of the English language on account of... more frequent use of the Tamaranian learning technique..."

It took him a moment before he realised what she meant.

He gulped down his mouthful of food, coughing a little before grinning at her, "Maybe so..."

She took another bite of her mustard covered hotdog, kicking her legs back and forth. Starfire hummed a happy note as she swallowed her mouthful, raising an eyebrow at finding Robin staring at her.

"Robin?" She queried, tilting her head,

He chuckled, eyeing the dash of mustard on her top lip. He tapped his own for reference,

"You've got a little mustard-"

She immediately flushed, "Oh!"

Robin lifted a fresh napkin and leaned across the table, "Here, I'll get it for you."

Starfire obediently tilted her chin up like a child and allowed him to wipe it away. As he finished, he scrunched the napkin up and dropped it to the table surface, still a tempting distance away from her.

She fluttered her eyelashes, "Am I the clean that is squeaky now?"

"That's 'squeaky clean' Star and, I'd say so... Oh! You have a little spot-"

Starfire moved to sit back, "Oh! Where-"

Before she could continue, Robin cupped the back of her neck and brought her to him, moulding his lips to hers. Starfire eeped in surprise at first but soon relaxed under his warmth. She used her freed hand to reach up and brush her fingertips against his cheek.

It was over sooner than she would have liked. A chaste and quick kiss but it was more than she expected from Robin when they were in public so she had no complaints.

He pulled back with a grin and her eyelids fluttered for a brief moment before she stared at him, a blush on her cheeks.

Starfire raised an eyebrow, "Did you succeed in cleaning the spot, Robin?"

Robin munched on the last bite of his hot dog, smothering a smirk, "Mhm."

Starfire playfully rolled her eyes and finished off her snack too.

Disposing of the trash in the trash can nearby, he tapped her wrist and jerked his head to the side, indicating for her to follow him, which she did so in a heartbeat.

The night continued on and the moon soon replaced the long ago setting sun. People were beginning to disperse home and the world was getting a little quieter.

That was how it was as the young couple found themselves sitting on a bench, perched on the outskirts of the park, overlooking the river and the glittering suspension bridge which was still roaring with life as cars and trucks passed back and forth across it.

Starfire sighed as she deeply inhaled her hot chocolate before taking a sip.

"Mm... delicious..." She whispered,

"I forget how good this stuff is sometimes."

"I simply adore the hot chocolate. We do not have anything akin to this on my world."

"The answer to everything when it gets cold on Earth."

Starfire smiled in content as they dipped into a comfortable silence, merely observing the vehicles travelling across the beautifully lit bridge.

"Earth is so breath-taking with the most simplistic of things." She hushed, running her finger around the edge of her polystyrene cup,

Robin nodded as he swallowed a swig of his drink, "I think humans tend to take it all for granted. I know I do."

Starfire clicked her tongue and tilted her head at him, "You should do the enjoying of the little things, Robin. I believe it causes a person to truly appreciate what is around them."

He gazed lovingly at her through the material of his mask, a soft smile etched across his features. Only she could see things in such a way. Most people wouldn't think twice about the little things surrounding them in everyday life. Not her though. Starfire noticed all the details of her current home world.

"Yeah, you're right... I should."

She gifted him with a smile.

Shifting closer, Robin lifted half of his cape and draped it around her shoulders; an affectionate gesture to keep her warm, even though she didn't technically need it. He knew it'd be appreciated all the same.

Starfire took the moment to lift her legs and rest them across Robin's lap; something he smiled at. She constantly did that nowadays when they were hanging out together in one of their room's or on the sofa.

Snuggling against his chest, she nuzzled his shoulder whilst his arm came around her to give her a half cuddle whilst they sat there.

She suddenly gasped, "Oh! Look! You can see the stars so perfectly from here!"

Robin followed her gaze and was surprised to see she was right. It was normally impossible to see the stars clear in the sky at night due to the high rise buildings of the city and the blinding lights.

"Whoa..."

"Glorious."

He popped his drink on the bench beside him and rested a hand on the patch of exposed skin between her skirt and boot, "So... any of these stars actually planets?"

Starfire took a sip of hot chocolate and smiled as her eyes scanned the sky,

"You notice the star straight ahead and slightly to the left with the pinkish glow?"

He squinted before nodding, "Yeah?"

"That is Tamaran."

Robin blinked and did a double take, "Really? How do you know?"

"I can find my home planet wherever I am in the universe."

He found himself playing with the ends of her long hair that spilled over her shoulders, "Do you ever miss it?" He paused, "Tamaran, I mean."

Starfire nodded, "Of course... mostly, I miss Galfore. He is so important to me and we have always been close on account of him raising me since childhood."

Robin bit his lip, "Do you think you'd ever go back?"

"For the visit or permanently?"

He swallowed, "Either?"

"I would like to visit again soon... I miss my k'norfka greatly and I would like for you to get to know one another a little better."

He smiled at the prospect of that, "And permanently?"

She looked down in thought, considering it. Robin felt his mouth go dry and his heart start pounding in his chest, waiting with bated breath for her answer in case it was one that he didn't want to hear.

"I do not think so."

He puffed out a breath, "Really?"

Starfire smiled and clasped his hand on her thigh, "Whilst Tamaran will always be my place of origin, I think of Earth as my home now. I love the life I have here with you and our friends."

Robin smirked, "Good because... I've grown kinda fond of you being around. I don't exactly want you leaving anytime soon."

She giggled and tipped her face towards his, crushing her lips against his. Her lips melded against his perfectly and they moved their mouths in perfect harmony. They pressed against one another harder, trying to get as close as possible until Robin pulled back with a gasp. He rested his forehead against Starfire's, both of them breathing heavy.

Starfire bit her lip as she stared at his swollen lips. He returned the gaze through the veil of his mask,

"It's getting late... wanna head home?"

She nodded slowly, "Okay."

He stood up and offered her his hand which she gladly accepted.

It was a comfortable journey home and Robin was a lot more thoughtful of his driving, even taking a few back roads home in order to lengthen their night together.

The tower was unusually silent when they returned. The lights in the main room were still on as was the standby humming of the game station but that was about it. Robin shrugged, supposing it was well after midnight in all fairness.

Starfire seemed just as surprised and opened her mouth to call out for her friends, only for Robin to scurry over and clamp a hand over her mouth, his other hand on her waist.

She raised an eyebrow and tilted her head at him in question,

"Do you  _know_  how rare time alone together actually is around here?" He whispered, smirking,

Starfire blinked before giggling softly, his hand slipping from her mouth. They suddenly caught wind of a crunching and rustling sound from somewhere behind them, grabbing both of their attention.

As they neared closer to the sofa, they peered over at the coffee table and found the source.

"Silkie!" She hissed, walking around the side of the couch to watch her mutant larvae who was busy munching away at chips, his head buried inside an open bag.

Pursing her lips, Starfire gently tapped his back, causing the worm to jerk and retreat. Blinking up at his intruder, Silkie gurgled happily and waggled his little tail at the sight of his mistress.

Robin followed Starfire and fell back against the sofa, draping his arms over the back and bringing his feet up to rest on the table beside Silkie who warbled a happy noise and nuzzled Robin's ankle in affection.

The boy wonder chuckled, "Hey buddy. You look like you've had a crazy night, huh?"

Silkie joyfully waved his tiny legs at them. Starfire shook her head but allowed him to steal another chip before scampering away, presumably into the kitchen.

Hands on her hips, Starfire watched him, "He is most mischievous."

Robin reached for her hips and tugged her down onto the sofa beside him,

"Ah, let him... he's not doing any harm." Robin soothed, an arm still around her waist,

Starfire raised an eyebrow, pressing a hand against his chest, "You have grown the soft since our return from Tokyo, Robin."

He smiled and caressed the bare skin of her hip before shrugging, "I think it's you. You tend to have a calming effect on me." He turned sheepish, "most of the time."

She blushed and they found themselves merely gazing at one another, the romantic and soothing mood of their whole evening still at work.

There was a rumbling that came from Starfire's chest that seemed to reverberate, momentarily distracting Robin.

He shook his head and looked up at her, "Are you... purring?"

Starfire furrowed her eyebrows and bit her lip, nervously grabbing a lock of hair to fiddle with. She cast her eyes down and swallowed to stop the sound.

Her eyes shifted back and forth, whilst Robin waited patiently for her to answer him. He couldn't help but smile. She was so cute.

"Um... yes?" She squeaked, looking like she wanted to disappear,

Robin raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue,

"I... uh... believe I have previously mentioned that Tamaranians... we are descendent from felines? Like humans are descendent from primates?"

He nodded, "I briefly remember you saying about it."

Starfire rubbed her arm, looking very concerned over this newfound quirk.

"When... I am happy or feeling the affection... I-I... um... purr..." She stammered, "I understand it is... unusual but-"

Robin chuckled bashfully and rubbed the back of his neck, "Actually... in a weird way... it's pretty sexy."

She blinked at him, surprise evident in her emerald eyes, "Truly?"

He cleared his throat before nodding. Starfire smiled timidly, her self-conscious behaviour slowly ebbing away.

"So... what else makes you like cats? I don't see a tail on you or anything."

Starfire giggled, sitting upright a little more, "Well... a mixture of traits can be led back to my supposed feline heritage. My flexibility can be attributed to it... um...my love of sunlight and warmth..." She tapped her chin in thought, "Oh! It could also be why I enjoy physical touch and affection so much..."

Robin was intrigued, "So then... if I do this..."

As he trailed off, he lifted his fingers and rubbed her just under her chin, emitting another purr from Starfire. She proceeded to close her eyes and lean into his touch as well.

He removed his hand from her and chuckled, "You're full of surprises, Star."

Feeling unsure of herself, Starfire clasped her hands on her lap and looked off to the side, feeling thoroughly embarrassed but knowing Robin would eventually find out about more of her physical quirks the  _friendlier_  they became.

She sighed before feeling Robin gently take her chin and turn her head towards him again.

Without hesitation, he brought her in for a kiss, melding his lips against hers and feeling the tenderness lying within the action. He tilted his head, pushing up against her more, trying to coax her into relaxing and being herself around him.

When the purring started up again, Robin smiled into their kiss.

He cupped her face, keeping her tethered to him by their lips, nibbling on her lower lip just to brush against the top one immediately after.

Starfire felt heat shoot through her, igniting her senses like fire dancing across her skin and leaving a burning trail in its wake.

She moaned against his mouth, tilting her head in the opposite direction to accommodate her boyfriend as best as she could. Deciding to be daring and to surprise Robin, she swiped her tongue against his bottom lip in invitation.

He pulled back and panted, staring at her intently, "I-I thought you didn't like that?"

Starfire grinned, "I believe my words were that I was unprepared as we had not done that form of the kissing before... If you will allow me to, I would very much enjoy learning about the 'making out'"

Robin swallowed before smirking up at her, causing her stomach to do flip flops; anticipation and excitement coursing through her.

He descended upon her again. He teased her lips with his tongue before she opened her mouth slightly and allowed him to experiment. Their tongues slipped against each other's and Starfire cooed, a hand sliding up the back of his neck into his hair and her other hand slipping from his cheek to his chest.

She fisted the material of his shirt, wanting more from him.

He suppressed a grin but only because he didn't want to break the kiss in any kind of way. His hands gripped her hips, earning a whimper from his girl. Their tongues were battling for dominance. Heat soared through their bodies and Robin thought they would burst into flames.

His mind was reeling with how amazing it felt to kiss and hold her like this. He had never felt closer or more intimate with her.

Then, another twist was thrown into their passion. Starfire shifted her legs so that she straddled him.

Robin jerked a little, not expecting her to do that but he didn't push her away either. It was hot and he was  _so_  done with pulling away from this gorgeous woman. She shifted her hips a little, having a steamy grinding effect.

He groaned, his hands roaming her body, only to hesitantly find her rear. Feeling bold, he gave Starfire a squeeze, drawing a surprised yelp from her.

For a fleeting moment, he worried that he had gone and overstepped his boundaries.

Robin was pleasantly surprised to find that it served to entice her even further as she wriggled above him, breathing hard against his lips.

His blood was quickly draining from his face and heading more south than he thought was good for either of them.

Starfire felt deliriously light headed and knew they both needed to stop before things went too far; to reign in their emotions and hormones to ensure they didn't cross a line, which neither of them were prepared for.

She reluctantly released her grip on his shirt and sat back, sucking in deep breaths and watching as Robin did the same.

The sight of him was somewhat comical. His cheeks were flushed and his mask was ever so slightly askew and his pants were coming fast.

Robin stared back at her, wide eyed and surprised at the intensity that had just erupted between them. His hands fell from her ass to the outside of her thighs, allowing them both to compose themselves.

"Wh-whoa..." Robin stuttered, licking his lips,

Starfire bit her lip, "Indeed... th-that was..."

"Hot."

She blushed and pushed some of her hair behind her ear, "Undeniably... I... apologies if it was too much-"

His hands stilled on her hips, "Don't. That was... unreal and... I've wanted to kiss you like that for years..."

Starfire shyly giggled as he flushed red.

Bringing a hand to her mouth, she yawned, tiredly blinking down at him. Robin patted her hip,

"C'mon... bedtime." He mumbled,

Nodding, Starfire clambered off of him, standing and stretching.

"Do you wish to share a bed tonight?"

He chuckled nervously, "Um... after that... I don't think so..." He paused, "Not because... I... that was  _really_  good but I don't think I'd be able to sleep beside you after... um..."

Starfire smiled, "I understand, Robin. I believe you are correct. It would be unwise to tempt the fate. Another night, perhaps?"

"Definitely."

She hummed a cheerful sound and brushed herself down whilst Robin cleared his throat and pressed his knees together, desperately hoping she wouldn't question-

"Robin?"

_Crap._

"Um... yeah?"

She narrowed her eyes, "Do you not wish to walk with me?"

"Uh... I... um... I-I can't... right now." He stammered, praying that she would leave the subject alone or the ground would open up and swallow him. He could barely stand the embarrassment of it.

"Why not?"

Robin exhaled noisily, staring at his knees as he awkwardly conducted this conversation with her,

"Um... Star... you know what happens when a guy... um... oh my god... I mean... us making out like that was  _really_  good..."

She tilted her head, "I do not understand."

Robin tapped his foot against the floor, desperately not wanting to explain the fundamentals of heated make out sessions to his inquisitive girlfriend.

"I don't know if Tamaranians are the same but... here... when a guy and a girl kiss like that... the guy... um... we find it arousing... and we get  _happy_..."

Starfire blinked as information finally seemed to register in her brain. Her mind recalled back to a book Raven had given her when she and Robin had just started dating. As much as Starfire knew and understood sex, Raven informed her to be aware of what she might expect as she gets more intimate with a human, rather than a Tamaranian.

"Oh! You are having the erection?" She queried,

Robin was ready to just be killed. Right there and then. Slade could jump through the window and murder him and it would be completely okay.

He almost passed out, forgetting how direct Starfire could be. It was something about her that he loved and hated. It was  _extremely_ varied.

"Um... y-yeah... k-kinda... it's just... something I can't really control-"

Colour filled Starfire's face. She wasn't embarrassed as such but felt that way for somewhat putting Robin on the spot. She held up a hand and offered him a sympathetic smile.

"It is the okay... I understand... I have... read about this and understand it is something you cannot exactly stop from happening."

He was grateful but still felt incredibly awkward, "Th-thanks... um..."

Starfire inhaled a deep breath, "Um... I shall... see you in the morning, yes?"

Robin nodded, "Mhm."

She quickly leaned in and pecked his lips, "Thank you for tonight, Robin. It was... truly wonderful."

He smiled warmly, "It was."

Ducking her head, she floated around the side of the sofa, "Goodnight, Robin."

"Night Star." He called, eyeing her as she made to leave, picking up Silkie before doing so.

When he heard the doors close, he noisily exhaled. God, that was uncomfortable.

Robin was a little curious about just  _what_  Starfire had been reading into and where she was finding certain information but he pushed that thought aside for now.

He sighed.

He supposed, if they were going to keep building on their intimacy, this would keep happening and as long as she was comfortable with it, then he could be too. Besides, if they ever wanted to go... much further than making out, it was inevitably going to occur.

All in all, he was on cloud nine about their evening together. It felt like they had reached a new level in their relationship and he felt very at ease.

He yawned, telling himself that in a while he would be able to go to bed but, as for right now?

He was stuck on the sofa, waiting for his  _problem_  to go away.


	14. Chapter 14

_Left._

_Right._

_Punch._

_Dodge._

_Monkey barrel._

Beast Boy gritted his teeth as he tapped the buttons of his game. He had been desperate for the new TX gaming device and ever since he got it, this level of  _Mega Monkeys: Tropical_ had him absolutely stumped.

With tongue and fang poking out in concentration, he smashed his thumb down on the attack button several times, praying the banana launches would have some effect. The blue monkey boss had him in a corner.

_Like all the other times._

Beast Boy wasn't one to get  _too_ frustrated with a game so easily but this had him stuck for weeks now and he was losing the mission a lot. He frowned as the blue gorilla brought out a coconut bomb and grinned at his character.

Suppressing a yowl of vexation, Beast Boy squeezed his eyes shut and pulled a face at his device, shaking with comical rage. As the animated words, ' _Game Over'_  popped up on screen, he noticed the flashing battery, signalling that it was almost out of juice.

With a sigh, he flipped the switch of the TX and dropped it to his chest, slipping his hands under his head.

He'd try to best the level again later.

Beast Boy stared up at the dark ceiling above and for the first time noticed the tiny crescent moons carved into the eggplant plaster. He quirked a smile and opened his mouth.

As he turned his head, he found himself shutting up.

His eyes skimmed over his girlfriend who was currently floating with her legs crossed at the end of her bed. He watched her, surprised at how still she remained during meditation.

He felt a thump from within his chest. It was strange to consider how they used to be and yet in such a short space of time, they had realised feelings and mutual likes and dislikes. It was somewhat unnerving.

Beast Boy blamed Robin and Starfire; spreading their feels all over the joint.

He inwardly chuckled. Beast Boy supposed, deep down, he had always known there was  _something_  there with Raven, even if it had taken a while to fully grasp. He would always choose to tease her the most. It was as if he enjoyed her getting pissed at him but it wasn't  _exactly_  the case.

In a strange way, he liked to get a reaction out of her because it meant she was conversing with him and he had her attention. It was the  _wrong_  type of attention of course but, it had led him to how they were today, after all. He must have done something right, considering she had reciprocated his feelings.

Still, the changeling couldn't help but find humour in how things had panned out so far. But, he liked knowing there was a hell of a lot of truth in the phrase ' _opposites attract'._

There was something else that made him understand how deep his emotions ran when it came to Raven. The thump in his chest wasn't just a loving reaction.

It was the Beast.

Animal instinct was a humdinger of a trait. He couldn't explain it but he was fairly certain the Beast had  _chosen_  Raven a long time ago. Why else would he have manifested into that  _thing_  in order to protect Raven?

That was when he really had to consider what it was exactly that Raven meant to him. It had scared him a little as well, to be frank. He had gone to such extremes just to protect Raven. Sure, she was his friend and he'd do anything to protect his friends but... there was something innately different back when all that happened.

There was this primal feeling whenever he was around Raven; something inside of him that latched onto the idea that Raven was  _his_  and he understood what it was.

 _Imprinting_  was highly common within the animal kingdom so he guessed it wasn't much of a shocker that it would occur for him too, considering he could be every animal known to man in a single heartbeat.

Though, he liked the idea of that. He liked the idea of having someone he would always recognize as a true mate; not some other life form to literally  _mate_  with but someone who matched perfectly well with someone along the lines of emotions and trust.

Beast Boy smiled softly, deciding to let her continue in peace.

Chewing his lip, he glanced back up at the roof of Raven's room. They had plans to spend time together but the changeling had told Raven to continue with her meditation and that he would just quietly hang out for the time being.

But, now that his TX had died, boredom was setting in fast.

He took the chance to look around Raven's room. He could hear her quiet breathing in the background as his eyes drifted over all the different types of items in the dark room.

Against the walls were stacks and stacks of books. Shelves upon shelves were full of dust covered hardbacks. Beast Boy grinned.

She was very predictable. He would be more surprised if there were no books in Raven's room. At first glance, they all looked the same but he knew that there were all kinds residing on the bookcases.

Novels, poems, scripts, spell books, fiction and non-fiction.

She had a broad variety to say the least and that wasn't even counting the range of genres she had over there.

For a fleeting moment, he wondered if she had a comic or two. After all, who was to say he wasn't rubbing off on her?

Beast Boy gave into a light laugh, staying quiet enough not to cause Raven to stir.

He noticed the ancient looking props around her room too. There were old, delicate candles and relics from Ancient Azarath over by her window.

When he thought about it, he realised that Raven's room was pretty minimal. She didn't have half the kind of clutter that Beast Boy had in his own room.

You couldn't even see the floor of  _his_  room.

Beast Boy rapped his fingertips against his stomach and pouted his lips, trying to ignore the one thing in Raven's room was just a tad too creepy for his liking.

On the wall, she had a ghoul like statue hanging up that seemed to be glaring at him and had detailed eyes that had a watching effect. It was like the ghoul face was following him however and whichever way he turned.

Beast Boy glanced away from it, chewing his lip before caving and nervously looking back at it.

He sighed again before closing his eyes, planning to simply ignore it. After a mere second of fleeting imagination, he slowly peeked an eye open.

 _Nope_.  _Nope. Nope._

Sitting upright, he shivered, feeling Goosebumps rush over his arms. Practically all of the horror flicks he'd seen in the past had nothing on Raven's choice in decor.

Beast Boy exhaled, tilting his head from side to side, considering what else he could do to pass the time. He grinned, an idea hatching in his mind.

His eyes narrowed in on her book collection again. He would love to see Raven's face when she stopped meditating to catch him reading, of all things.

Truthfully, he enjoyed reading about spells and magic; not that he would tell her of course. It was too much fun to mess with her and let her believe he had absolutely no interest in reading.

As he shifted to get up from her bed, he felt his ankle knock against something hard underneath her bed.

Holding back an expletive at the jolt of pain, curiosity overtook him.

A mischievous expression filled his face and he cautiously looked over his shoulder at Raven. He knew she didn't like him to rummage through her stuff but he rationalised that she would never know.

If he could remain silent, he could be the master of stealth if only for a few minutes.

Beast Boy held his breath as he crouched down beside her bed and patted around, his hand slipping over something very cold.

Getting a grip of what seemed to be a storage box, he quietly yanked it out to get a better look at it.

The changeling raised an eyebrow as the object came into the light. It was a deep purple chest with dark edging and a pristine wood surface. He peered closer at it, noting the dust that had congregated atop of it, showing whatever was inside had not seen the light of day for some time.

Biting his lip and feeling the sweat on his brow, he reached for the clasps to open the thing up. He scrunched up his face in apprehension, believing there may be a spell or curse on the damn thing.

This  _was_ Raven, after all.

He shut his eyes tight as his fingers brushed them and he took the chance, flipping the clasps up.

Beast Boy held his breath before inwardly cheering at having opened the elusive chest.

Leaning over, he stared down into the box.

A book?

He frowned, feeling the excitement fade. All that was inside was a dusty, old book?

He narrowed his eyes at it, a feeling that the object was familiar.

Beast Boy reached inside and opened the book, flipping the pages and scanning the words to get an idea of where he'd seen it before.

Suddenly, realisation hit him like a ton of bricks as the words filtered through from the pages to his brain.

No, a  _name_ was what jumped off the paper at him just before a paper rose fell from inside.

 _Malchior_.

Beast Boy felt odd. It was truly strange.

His emotions became stronger and something deep inside of him seemed to twist and shift. His heartbeat and his pulse increased rapidly.

Soon, the curious and playful expression on his face melted away and was replaced with something else  _entirely._

Beast Boy couldn't understand. That was years ago; what happened with Malchior. That  _monster_  had hurt her in a way she had never been hurt before. He used her like she was nothing. Why on Earth would she want to keep a reminder of Malchior?

Did she still look back on it and wish things had turned out differently? Did she wish  _he_  was more like Malchior before she learned the truth about his intentions?

Was he not enough to make her completely forget about Malchior?

Anger began to bubble up inside of him; unwanted and completely unexpected. But, it was there.

And it wasn't going  _anywhere_  for a while.

Something was clawing away at him and Beast Boy was trying desperately to cling to calm and happy thoughts, feeling insecure over getting angry about something like this.

His skin was getting hotter and he felt the grinding sensation as he gritted his teeth, his breathing becoming deep and intensified.

Something fierce and territorial was building quickly in his chest. He felt his hands trembling as rage started to consume him. He knew it was an animal thing.

Raven was essentially  _his_  and nobody else's and this... it felt like some kind of challenge or misguided joke.

And she had hid the fact she kept the book and rose?

He heard a light exhale of breath and a tap as Raven's feet touched the ground again. His back was still facing her but he knew the minute she spoke,  _that_  shifting inside of him was cracking.

"Beast Boy?" She commented, softly, "I've finished with meditation... what did you feel like doing?"

He didn't reply. He didn't trust himself.

"Hello? Earth to pinhead?" He could practically feel her rolling her eyes, "What're you even doing?"

Beast Boy stood up and spun around to face her so quickly that Raven physically jumped back, the intensity of his expression a shock to her system.

"Why do you still have this?" He snarled, something else taking the reins,

Many emotions flitted across Raven's face in the space of a second. She blinked at him, confused and surprised by this behaviour he appeared to be showing.

Then, her emotions led to one that was all too familiar.

She narrowed her eyes, "What are  _you_  doing with that?"

"Answer my question. Why do you have it?"

She curled her lip in displeasure, " _That_  is none of your business. How dare you go through my stuff. You know how I feel about my privacy."

He took several deep breaths and Raven felt a little concerned and a little fearful,

"I said...  _why_?" He repeated, in a low, dark voice,

She watched him, "And... I said, it's none of your business."

"Yes it is! I'm your boyfriend!"

"That doesn't entitle you to snoop through my things, Beast Boy. You don't  _own_  me."

"Yes I do!" He roared, baring his fangs and stepping closer to her.

Raven flinched, more worried than scared. This wasn't like him  _at all._

He growled and shook his head, as if trying to clear his thoughts and failing.

Whilst distracted, Raven slipped the book from his grasp and set it down on the bed, taking the moment to read his emotions. They were going haywire. Anger and frustration and pure negativity were coursing through him. There was no happy and no calm anywhere to be seen.

She decided to keep her cool and react rationally. One of them had to at least, especially with what she was reading from him. It was extremely disconcerting.

"Why do you have it!?" He yelled, fists clenching and unclenching at his sides now that the book wasn't there.

Raven swallowed the lump in her throat, hoping she could alleviate whatever this was.

"I don't have to answer that. I don't have to explain why I have certain things from my past." She replied in an even tone.

His eyes flared with indignation, "He broke your heart, Raven! Why would you ever keep something of that asshole!?"

"It reminds me of a time that made me stronger as a person, in the end-"

He sneered, "Bullshit! You don't have anything else like that around here and there's plenty of things that have happened to you that have made you a stronger person! Why  _this_!?"

Her eyebrows furrowed, "Why are you acting like this!?"

Beast Boy looked lost for a moment, not having an answer prepared, "B-Because... do you wish I was more like  _him_!?"

Raven blanched, " _What_?"

"You heard me."

She rolled her eyes, wondering if the attitude was coming from something stupid, "You're being ridiculous."

He stepped up to her so much that they stood nose to nose, "You're not denying it."

Raven's eyes trailed over him, convinced this was something beyond petty reasons and insecurities.

"You won't hurt me." She breathed, certain of that at least.

His eyes darkened and he huffed, brushing past her and causing her to stumble back ever so slightly.

"Beast Boy-"

"I don't understand why you would keep something from someone who betrayed your trust like he did!"

Raven felt an involuntary thud in her chest and couldn't stop herself from biting. If he was going to throw something like that in her face, she could throw it right back at him.

"Oh?" She said, coldly, "Like Terra did?"

He bristled and his eyes slowly found her face, "What're you talking about?"

"Do you still have the heart shaped box you made for  _her_?"

"What?"

Her expression darkened, "Don't pretend you didn't hear me." She paused, "Do you have it?"

"That isn't the point!"

Raven shook her head, "So, it's one rule for me but another for you?"

"That isn't what I'm saying! Don't put words in my mouth, Raven!" He shouted, heaving in breaths and pacing in front of her door.

The empath felt the reeling emotions pouring from her boyfriend and felt the anger distinguish again. She couldn't put her finger on it; why was he getting so angry?

He would  _never_  get like this usually. He would normally query it and probably follow it up with a poorly executed joke that Raven would try to ignore.

This reaction was not him in the  _slightest._

She took a single step forward, her tone calm, "Beast Boy... you need to calm down, alright? You can't think there's a difference in what Malchior did and what Terra did because... there isn't."

The  _thing_  had him like a puppet and the restraint he had been holding onto completely and irreversibly snapped like a fragile piece of string.

"Yes it is. Terra at least had feelings for me to begin with and before she betrayed us. Malchior never cared about you. He used you like a pawn and you were too stupid to see that he did it."

Raven felt very empty and cold in an instant. Those words struck her more than a physical blow from him ever would. Words were like knives; weapons that you couldn't even shield yourself from.

She felt emotion build up but forced herself to believe this wasn't Beast Boy. Something was wrong with him. There  _had_  to be a reason.

He would  _never_  say that to her.

But, none of that stopped her from recoiling back like he had indeed hit her.

Raven swallowed the lump in her throat, determined to let her own emotions wait.

Suddenly, Beast Boy released a deep throated snarl with a hint of pain. He groaned and pressed his palms to his temples, as if trying to the block out whatever was causing this.

The sorceress cautiously stepped closer, reaching a hesitant hand out and against his shoulder,

"Beast Boy-"

He growled and tore away from her, like her touch had burned him. He bared his teeth as he panted, something indescribable in his forest green eyes.

"Don't touch me!" He shouted before moaning again, "Stay... away..."

Raven felt for her communicator, only to realise it wasn't on her person. She blinked, her eyes concerned and compassionate. Her heart was thudding in her chest, bewildered over what was happening to the most happy-go-lucky person she knew besides Starfire.

"Can't... be around you." He hissed, before stomping towards her door and throwing it open and marching through it in fury.

As her door whooshed shut, she deeply exhaled, letting it all rush out like she'd been holding it the entire time. She rested a hand against her chest and felt her heart bounce around her ribcage.

That was so out of the ordinary. Beast Boy hardly ever got angry, like ever.

And especially never like that.

_What had happened?_

_Bam._

_Smack._

_Grunt._

Beast Boy growled, low in his throat as the punching bag violently swung back and forth. He stared at the thing with daggers, a part of him wanting to tear it to pieces with his teeth.

He morphed from a bear into a gorilla, throwing more strength into his punches than he had been, his knuckles becoming bruised and bloody.

Gritting his teeth so hard that they were scraping against each other, he felt one of them crack.

With another yowl, he slammed his fist into the bag, breaking the skin a little more.

He felt the anger coursing through him. The logical part of his brain had whispered to him; to go to the gym and work through this  _random_  mood swing.

However, whenever his thoughts drifted back, he felt his blood boil and another right hook erupted from him.

Beast Boy puffed, his shoulders rising and falling at an alarming rate, even as he reverted to his human form once more.

"Whoa, what'd the bag do to you, B?" a voice chuckled,

The changeling felt vibrations in his chest as Cyborg wandered into the gym.

He squeezed his eyes shut, "Don't. Not in the mood."

Cyborg rolled his eye and continued to approach him, "Pft, what, Raven catch your tail in a book or something-"

Beast Boy bellowed out a deep throated roar, bringing his arm all the way back just to smash it against the punching bag so hard the chains pulled before snapping completely, the bag flying across the room and slumping over at the wall.

His breathing was haggard and he felt control slipping through his fingers like sand.

Cyborg furrowed his eyebrows, "Man, what-"

With a grunt, Beast Boy staggered forward, desperately clutching at his head and whimpering.

Suddenly, the changeling found himself morphing into something else completely.

His fur grew and his size increased tenfold, his fangs turning to tusks of sorts.

Cyborg could only watch in shock as Beast Boy's form changed into the one they never thought they'd have to see again or at least not under the same, emotion based circumstances.

 _The Beast_.

The cybernetic man stared up at his best friend with wide eyes, barely able to move. They had stemmed this. It had been under control.

Hadn't it?

Beast Boy sneered and turned to face Cyborg, narrowing his eyes at his  _prey_.

"BB... c'mon... listen to me... I ain't fightin' you man!"

He bared his teeth and jolted, taking a swipe at Cyborg who managed to jump back just in time.

"B! Beast Boy!" Cyborg shouted, hoping to get through to him, "Gar!"

He broke into a sprint with Cyborg reluctantly raising his sonic cannon to his best friend,

"C'mon, BB! Don't make me-"

He was cut off as Beast Boy swiped at his head, scraping the metal of the walls whilst Cyborg rolled out of the way.

Cyborg gritted his teeth as he got to his feet once more,

"If this is what I gotta do to snap you out of this..."

Taking a breath, he lifted his arm, aiming his sonic cannon expertly this time. His trajectory was steady and at the ready.

"I just hope you don't have bruises after, man."

With that, he fired the shot at his best friend.


	15. Chapter 15

Heavy footsteps against the ground mingled with the loud siren of the alarm. Robin panted as he turned the corner towards the gym with Starfire not far behind him, equally breathless and a tad flushed.

The alert from within the tower was the last thing that the couple thought would spring them from a rather  _heated_  moment within Robin's bedroom. They'd been interrupted before by the alarm for a crime downtown or even the rarity of a breach in security.

This... this was very different; hence their haste to get down to where the alert was triggered.

As they neared the gym, the two of them sped up, desperate to reach the room in which the alarm had been sounded.

Robin furrowed his brows, resting a hand against the door. There were crashes and bangs heard from the inside, startling Starfire.

"What is happening!?" She gasped,

The boy wonder gave a single shake of his head, bewildered.

"Cyborg!" He yelled, hearing the sound of his signature sonic cannon.

As soon as they had heard the commotion from inside, it abruptly stopped. Starfire cast a worried glance at Robin who, with gritted teeth was repeatedly typing in the override code to get into the gym.

"Please, why does the door not respond?" Starfire asked, face scrunched up with concern,

Robin slammed his fist against it and narrowed his eyes at the closed door whilst the words, ' _Access Denied'_ flashed red all over the console.

"It's on a complete lockdown; only accessible by Cyborg. He must've tripped the alarm and locked the door... but why?" Robin commented, trying another code just in case.

A faint green illuminated Starfire's face as her eyes glowed with power. He watched as her expression transformed into one of determination, lighting her hands with fiery starbolts.

"Electronic security will not stand in the way of aiding our friend." She told him, stepping in front of him.

Thrusting her fingers into the tiny gap between the closed doors, she forced her strength into the gesture, slowly but surely wrenching the doors apart from each other. Robin could only stand by and watch, never tiring of seeing her execute her power like that for the cause of helping her friends.

Starfire bit her lip as the metal door groaned and crunched beneath her grip, effectively folding into scraps and falling away from the entrance.

With a relieved sigh, the glow of her eyes extinguished along with her starbolts.

Robin offered her a nod, "Good job, Star!"

Starfire coughed as they scurried into the room, initially noting only the dust and nothing else. It was thick and caused difficulty to see.

Squinting his eyes in order to surpass the collective dust clinging in the air, Robin waved his hand around, searching for a sign of Cyborg.

"Cyborg?" Robin called out,

There was a loud exhale before the couple spotted Cyborg just beyond the wall of dust that seemed to mainly hang in the air around the door. Whether it was caused by Starfire ripping the doors apart or it being there beforehand, they weren't sure.

As they approached their friend, they were shocked by what they actually found.

Starfire dropped from the air, covering her mouth and falling to stand beside Robin who was just as stunned, shaking his head in confusion.

Cyborg was on his knees, his hands resting in his lap and he was breathing heavily and with a haggard touch, presumably from the handful of floating debris in the atmosphere. There were several abrasions on both the human and robotic areas of his body, with a couple circuits in his wrist sparking every now and then.

Lying on his back, just in front of the cybernetic being, was Beast Boy. He was unconscious with numerous scratches over his arms and a small few on his cheek. His uniform was torn and he looked truly worn down.

Starfire cautiously took a step forward, "... Cyborg?" She asked in a tiny voice, afraid of what she was seeing,

He glanced in their direction, giving her a small, reassuring smile, "It's... fine."

The two of them made their way over to Cyborg, each of them standing at one side of him. Starfire and Robin slipped their hands around Cyborg's arms and gently lifted him to his feet. Cyborg himself only gave into a small groan, shaking it off as he stood.

Cyborg brushed his armour down whilst Starfire carefully walked around Beast Boy to scan him. Robin kept an eye on her for a brief moment, making sure nothing appeared to be an immediate threat within the room.

He crossed his arms and stared up at Cyborg, "It doesn't look fine." He surmised, "What happened?"

With a sigh, Cyborg turned his head to look at Robin, an expression that could only be described as grave appeared on his face.

"What is it?" Robin prompted,

"You remember when that chemical caused BB to completely flip out and act really weird? He was more aggressive and unpredictable?"

Robin nodded, "It was his DNA after mixing with the chemical."

"His DNA has always been unstable because of his morphing gene..."

"And?"

Cyborg sighed, "Looks like we didn't stabilise it as much as we thought."

" _What_?"

"He was just like before about half an hour ago. Was ridiculously more powerful than normal and wasn't like himself at all. He was cold and angry... I don't know."

"Did he turn into the Beast again?"

Cyborg nodded, whilst Robin's mask widened and Starfire gasped from where she now perched on her knees by Beast Boy.

"But... we contained it. You gave him the antidote to stabilise it."

"I have to look into it more but... looks like it wasn't finished shifting. If this has happened again... it's not looking good."

Starfire looked over her green friend with concern set deep in her emerald eyes, "But... what would cause such a change in him once more?"

The three of them turned their heads towards the door as they heard speedy footsteps,

"What's going on? Why was the alarm going-"

Raven stopped dead at the sight of the gym and paled instantly when her eyes found the boy lying unconscious in front of Starfire.

The empath slowly made her way into the room, "No..." She breathed, repeating it as she hurried closer to her boyfriend.

Crouching down on the opposite side of Beast Boy, across from Starfire, Raven raised a shaky hand and ran her fingertips across his cheek, noting a dab of blood.

Her skin lowered in temperature and she felt her heart start to pump harder in her chest than before. Negative thoughts assaulted her mind and she felt wracked with guilt.

She knew, deep down, Beast Boy would tell her not to feel guilty because it would be  _stupid_  but she couldn't help the way the emotion gnawed away at her. She tried to suppress it, push it away to the very back of her mind but she was having trouble.

Maybe she could have prevented whatever had happened here. She assumed that unusual anger that he'd been portraying had gotten out of hand and she felt a stab in her chest at that.

Raven felt that if she had merely explained it better or handled the situation differently, he might not have ended up unconscious on the floor of the gym.

She bit her lip so hard she drew a dribble of blood. She swallowed the mountain in her throat and her eyes shifted back and forth over him, at a rapid pace.

She felt like she couldn't breathe and just  _knew_  her emotions were starting to boil over. She felt a sudden build up of emotion deep within.

Raven wanted to ignore it but by now, after all these years, she knew she had to deal with the emotions, rather than isolate them.

Inhaling a deep breath, she closed her eyes and lowered her head, "This is my fault."

"Raven-" Starfire began, reaching for her shoulder, only to be stalled by Raven snapping her head up to look at the Princess,

"Trust me when I say this is my fault. I could have stopped this... I didn't..."

As she trailed off, Raven started to withdraw in her own way of handling things. She got to her feet and pulled her hood up over her head, casting a dark shadow across her face.

"I have to go somewhere." Raven informed them, making to leave.

Starfire grabbed her hand before she could move too far, "Raven, please-"

Raven half turned back to Starfire, not meeting her intense gaze, "Starfire, please. You know better than anyone when I need to get away."

"But... Beast Boy needs you."

"I know he does. That's why I'm going now." She sighed and met Starfire's green eyes, "I'll be back before he wakes up."

Starfire frowned, "Raven-"

Raven swallowed and there was silent pleading in her dark blue eyes, " _Please_."

The Tamaranian held her gaze, almost asking for slightly more.

"I just... can't be here right now. It's too much. I won't be gone long. I promise." Raven whispered,

There was a silent understanding between the two girls and Starfire gently released her wrist with a tiny smile that gave Raven a smidge of reassurance,

"Of course, Raven. We shall see to it Beast Boy is taken care of in your absence." Starfire told her.

Raven favoured her best friend with a ghost of a smile, "I'll only be gone for a little while. I just... need to clear my head."

Starfire wasn't going to question her. The Princess knew Raven well enough to understand when she needed to get away from the emotions that were bombarding her. She needed tranquillity and she needed to keep herself in check.

She needed to be stronger for when Beast Boy was awake again.

If Raven was involved in Beast Boy's recent explosive behaviour, it was understandable that she would need to retreat into herself, if only for an hour or so.

"You may use my Cliffside, if you so wish." Starfire offered,

Raven nodded, "Thank you, Star."

With that, Raven turned, her cloak swishing around her ankles as she hastened her walk towards the exit. She chose to fade through the wall rather than using the recently damaged door or lack of now, thanks to Starfire.

Robin took a step forward, "Wait-"

Starfire glanced over at her boyfriend, "Robin... you and I are both aware that Raven must collect herself in overwhelming situations. I do not doubt seeing Beast Boy this way... it would have an effect on her, especially if the two have indeed had a disagreement."

The boy wonder nodded and sighed as his gaze fell on Beast Boy whose expression was devoid of emotion and was as calm as it may have ever been in the changeling's life, what with how happy-go-lucky he normally was.

Starfire kneeled down again, brushing her fingers through the front of Beast Boy's dark hair,

"Oh, friend... what is happening to you?" She whimpered, noticing the crinkles of his eyes from years of laughter making her concern grow even more.

"Let's get him set up in the infirmary. You too, Cy." Robin told them in a softer voice than usual,

"Man, I'm fine-" Cyborg was cut off by a raised eyebrow from his ebony haired friend.

"I think those marks on you tell a different story. I just mean a little patching up... leader's orders, Cyborg." Robin told him, his tone remaining gentle.

Cyborg quirked a smile and nodded, subsequently agreeing to that. He was surprised that Robin wasn't going berserk over the mysterious issue they had stumbled across but supposed Starfire really was beginning to have an effect on him.

Calmer Robin was a lot more rational and Cyborg knew all of them appreciated that.

Sliding her hands beneath Beast Boy's back and knees, Starfire easily hoisted him up into her arms. Robin half smiled at how careful she was being; cradling him almost like a child or in her case, a  _little brother_.

Starfire led the way, lifting off of the ground and floating over the scraps of the doors, leading into the hallway.

Cyborg glanced around the gym as Robin gave him a hand in walking before he could independently manage it.

"Guess we'll have to fix the gym up after all of this." Cyborg muttered, rotating his shoulder to release a tough knot.

Robin's focus was solely on Beast Boy who remained silent and completely out of it in Starfire's arms. He narrowed his eyes and felt a bubble of worry in his chest for his friend,

"That's the least of my worries right now."


	16. Chapter 16

His head felt muzzy and a groan escaped his lips as consciousness tugged at him. His mind felt sluggish and he fought not to move too quickly, knowing he would just regret it immediately after.

Warbled voices sounded around him but they were smothered, like water was stopping him from hearing them clearly.

He did not feel good at all.

Beast Boy turned his head to the side and there was a small gasp from someone nearby.

For a moment, he was hesitant about opening his eyes. He had a deep set feeling that his vision would be assaulted by harsh lights.

He moaned again, a spinning feeling taking hold of him and a pounding behind his eyes.

Bleary, he turned left and right, grunting in frustration as his hands didn't move like he wanted and expected them to. Beast Boy slowly peaked open his eyes and the palpitations in his chest increased at the sight of leather restraints.

His wrists and his ankles were buckled down, preventing him from going anywhere. Fear was setting in and a sharp flashback that he'd rather forget washed over him. Fangs, claws...  _Raven_.

Beast Boy tugged and fought, his breathing turning to a sudden pant before a familiar face was at his side.

Slender fingers through his hair and a reassuring but tiny smile on her face,

"Shh... friend... you must be careful. Please, do not struggle so..." Starfire hushed, in an attempt to calm him.

Which she was half successful in.

He puffed out a breath and his nervous eyes searched her face. He ceased his struggles and tried to contain his anxiety,

"S-Star? What's... what's happening? What's going on?" He babbled, whilst Starfire merely frowned in sadness,

Beast Boy's eyes shifted to the boy wonder, approaching behind Starfire in a somewhat protective manner. He wasn't surprised. If he was being restrained like this, Robin would be hovering near her; regardless.

Robin's expression wasn't angry though. He looked tired and concerned. It was a refreshing change to the last time he was subdued like this. The flashback hit him again and he gritted his teeth in an effort to repress the thoughts; praying it wasn't the same this time around.

Some part of the changeling's brain registered that they were in the infirmary.  _Just like last time_.

"Beast Boy... what's the last thing you remember before waking up here?" He asked, in an even tone. Beast Boy appreciated that he was keeping himself in check and trying hard not to sound accusing of anything.

Shaking his head, Beast Boy floundered, "I- I don't know... my head... it's all mushed... I can't... things are fuzzy."

Robin narrowed his eyes a little, the need to press too great, " _Try_  to think, Beast Boy."

Beast Boy's head snapped up again, "I  _am_  trying! I- I went down to the gym..."

His leader's tone was softer, "And that's the last thing you remember?"

His chest heaving, Beast Boy had a pained expression as he stared at Robin, "Dude, if I remembered more, I'd tell you. Honest! Please, what-"

He trailed off as he caught a glimpse of Cyborg sitting on the edge of the opposite infirmary cot. Beast Boy's pulse raced and he felt dread in the pit of his stomach. The circuits of his friend's shoulder were crackling in disrepair and the exposed skin of his arms was wrapped with gauze. There were raw slash marks across his cheek; marks that could only be caused by a set of claws.

Beast Boy shuddered, "Cy?" He whispered,

Cyborg quickly looked up at his best friend, "B, it's okay-"

Ignoring the attempt to console him, Beast Boy turned his head to stare at Robin. His expression was stricken but held a hint of self loathing for whatever it was he had done.

"What did  _I_ do?"

Robin sighed.

Something dawned on Beast Boy in that moment and he frantically looked around for one person in particular; the one person that mattered most to him.

"Wait... wh-where's Raven? I-I didn't hurt her, did I? Please God, tell me I didn't-" He stammered, leaning towards Starfire for answers.

The Princess was quick to reassure in that soft voice of hers, "Beast Boy... it is the okay. Raven was not present."

"Why is she not here then?"

Starfire shifted in the chair, resting a hand on his upper arm, "She will return soon... she needed some space to collect her thoughts. Seeing you unconscious and hurt... I know it affected her greatly."

Beast Boy was saddened, wishing she was there to give him some kind of ease but there was relief that she hadn't been caught up in whatever he did. He also understood her need to get away. A sudden influx of her power could be overwhelming. He took consolation in knowing she was dealing with her emotions in the way she thought was best.

Robin was clearly connecting the dots from Beast Boy's tone and expressions and folded his arms over his chest,

"Did something happen with Raven, earlier? Is that why you snapped?"

The changeling inwardly grunted. He did  _not_  wanna go there. He was already beating himself up for the way he spoke to Raven and his reaction to finding the rose. It was so stupid but... wait...

"Snapped?" Beast Boy squeaked, eyes widening, "What're you talking about?"

Robin looked uncertain but leaned on the back of the chair Starfire was perched on. His expression was cautious and Beast Boy didn't feel better about the worry creasing his features.

"The beast got loose again, Beast Boy." He stated,

Beast Boy's heart plummeted into his stomach and he was filled with horror. Flashbacks of the first time assaulted his mind. The fear and the uncertainty of turning into  _that_  thing still made him shiver. His heart rate sped up and Starfire gripped his arm as his heart monitor beeped faster.

"Beast Boy... it is okay. We are here and we will help you." She insisted,

He rapidly shook his head, not wanting to believe he had lost control over his own body yet again. The fact he couldn't even remember it happening was what scared him to his very core. He felt so helpless and so alone, even though he knew he had his family around him.

He shot Starfire a glance and the monitor returned to a calmer pace, but only slightly.

"N-No... we... we settled it! Cyborg extracted every single drop of chemical component that was found in my body. I took the antidote. I did  _everything_  to make sure this never happened again!"

Starfire felt her heart twist for her friend. She thought of Beast Boy as a little brother and seeing him go through this kind of turmoil was just awful. He was usually so happy-go-lucky and jokey but now, all she could hear was the fear in his tone of voice. He was terrified and it seemed to be consuming him.

Robin's lips tightened into a thin line, looking over at Cyborg, signalling for him to explain.

With a small grunt, Cyborg got to his feet and slowly made his way over to Beast Boy's cot. He exhaled and shrugged his shoulders.

"We were led to believe that your DNA stabilised in accordance with the chemicals. Apparently... it wasn't quite finished."

"So... what does that mean?"

"Your DNA has always been unstable because of the morphing gene you carry. That night, the chemicals absorbed to the cells and we thought it would just flush out and pass through your system over time. That antidote was supposed to finish it off."

Beast Boy looked as miserable, as they all knew he felt, "But it didn't work." He spat,

"It did and it didn't. The antidote did the job but the chemicals that had seeped in too quickly already started doing damage to the unsteady cells in your DNA... kind of like shaking an unstable building." Cyborg explained,

Robin stood back from the chair to stand beside his bed, opposite to Cyborg and looking at Beast Boy, "It was a temporary stabilisation which we've only just figured out now. The shifted cells were on a countdown, so to speak."

"Like... a volcano or something..." Beast Boy muttered,

Cyborg nodded, "Exactly."

Beast Boy's jaw flexed in sudden anger, "So, what? You're telling me that I'm  _always_  gonna have this problem? I'm never gonna be able to control myself properly when I get mad?"

"We will find a way to help you." Starfire murmured,

His head snapped to her direction and his voice broke a little, "How!? How are any of you gonna be able to help me when we couldn't even do it the first time?"

"We didn't know the full extent. We do now." Robin told him,

Beast Boy's lip quivered and he swallowed a lump in his throat. He slowly shook his head, clearly showing the despair he was feeling.

"Robin and I have been looking through possible formulas for a new antidote; one that should work long term." Cyborg admitted,

He lifted his head, "What?"

"We've got a couple in mind and we're trying to narrow it down. The computer is currently running diagnostics on a new antidote. We know what's really going on with your DNA now. We can monitor it better and hopefully... with the ones we've been looking at... this shouldn't be a permanent change to your lifestyle. You shouldn't have to change anything that you do already."

Beast Boy felt a relieved breath fall from his lips. But, he paused, not wanting to get his hopes up too high, too soon.

"Man... what made you get so mad?" Cyborg wondered, taking a seat on the edge of his bed,

"I-I don't know..."

Robin tilted his head, "How are things with you and Raven?"

Beast Boy rolled his eyes and mumbled, "Yeah... we argued."

"What about?"

The green skinned Titan shifted uncomfortably and Starfire picked up on his behaviour immediately. She half turned and laced her fingers with Robin's, focusing his attention on her,

"Please... I do not believe delving into the intricacies would be beneficial to anyone at present."

Robin understood the look on her face and the undertones of her voice. He nodded to Beast Boy,

"Right... sorry, Beast Boy. I didn't mean to-"

Giving him a half hearted smile, Beast Boy shrugged, "It's okay, dude."

"Raven does seem to have a big part in this." Cyborg concurred,

"Of course she does..." Beast Boy mumbled,

"What d'you mean?"

A blush tinted his cheeks, "Raven is my girlfriend. The beast... it has the need to protect her. It only seems to rear its head where she's concerned. Whether it's... I'm angry  _at_  her or something to do with her or if someone is trying to  _hurt_  her... it's always to do with her." He briefly informed them, trying to ignore Starfire's practical heart eyes.

"So... she's the trigger. In a sense."

"Mm... sort of. It's an animal instinct. The beast recognises Raven as..."

"A mate?" Starfire asked,

Beast Boy cleared his throat, "Uh... sure. When something happens with her, good or bad, the beast reacts. She's special... she's an important person to me. She always has been, even if I didn't realise it... I don't know how else to explain it."

"It's okay... that makes sense. An argument is hostile, regardless of what it's about... maybe it just sensed the emotions and that's what pushed you over the edge to morph into it again." Robin assumed,

Beast Boy nodded and sighed, shifting on the bed to try and gain comfort; as much as he could anyway, what with being strapped down.

Starfire winced, "Apologies for the restraints, Beast Boy... we did not-"

He offered her a weak smile, "It's fine. I get it. Really, guys. And... thanks... for trying to help figure this out."

Cyborg smiled at him, "We're family, man. It's what we do."

Beast Boy nodded but frowned, "Cy... I'm so sorry about this, dude. I didn't mean to and... I'd never-"

His friend snorted, "Pft, please man. One of the best spars I've ever had with you... seriously, don't beat yourself up about it. It was an accident... I'm good." He paused and smirked, "And you realise I could kick your ass even in beast form too, right?"

Beast Boy allowed himself a tiny chuckle, "Yeah, yeah... don't get too confident, tin man."

Cyborg grinned whilst the changeling turned to Starfire, question in his forest green eyes,

"Star... did Rae say when she would be home?" He asked,

Starfire shook her head and opened her mouth to respond but a monotone voice beat her to it.

"I wasn't really that specific about it."

His eyes trailed over Raven's form as she stood in the doorway to the infirmary. She looked tentative but heavily concerned as well. He could tell from the creases around her brows.

But, he could also tell she was a lot calmer than she probably was earlier on. That was a relief as it at least meant they could talk about things without any more problems arising.

Raven's dark blue eyes met his from across the room and the two merely stared at each other,

Cyborg could sense the unspoken need for discussion between the two and jerked his head in Robin and Starfire's direction,

"We're gonna go set something up for dinner... try not to overexert, BB." Cyborg reminded him, the three of them making their way to the door and exiting the infirmary.

Raven stepped forward, her cloak brushing against the floor. She paused and inhaled deeply before crossing the rest of the way to stand beside his bed.

Beast Boy swallowed nervously.

The silence was unbearable but he wasn't sure if talking would be much better. He hoped it would be.


	17. Chapter 17

Raven cast her eyes sideways, looking out the window at the sky that was slowly but surely fading to twilight.

She could practically hear Beast Boy's fingertips rapping against the infirmary bed he was still tied down to.

He sighed and watched her, "I don't bite, Rae..."

Flinching at the sudden sound of his voice amidst the silence, she offered a ghost of a smile and walked closer to his side. She sat on the edge of his bed and her dark eyes found his.

Beast Boy attempted to sit up a little more to retain some dignity whilst talking things through with her but it just wasn't happening, "Okay, can you  _please_  undo the straps? I feel like I'm in  _Saw_  or something." He grumbled,

Raven smirked if only for a second and raised an eyebrow, "You sure that's a good idea?"

"I'm fine now... I-I swear... I'm okay." He vowed,

Watching him a moment longer, she nodded and waved a glowing hand. He exhaled in relief as the buckles loosened and he slipped his wrists from them. Beast Boy shook himself and couldn't help but yawn as he straightened up.

Raven raised an eyebrow, "Tired?"

He flashed her a toothy grin, "What can I say... been a long day."

She knew what he was doing; she wasn't unfamiliar with the tactic, herself. He was trying to alleviate the pressure and the tension between them. They were smiling and making tiny jokes; jokes that typically shouldn't be made considering the seriousness of his issue but it helped. It lifted some of the awkwardness that she  _knew_  they could both feel.

They dipped into silence again and Raven stared down at her hands resting in her lap.

Beast Boy was conflicted. A big part of him just wanted to keep making jokes and keep the humour there considering that was what he usually fell back on in awkward and tense situations such as these.

But, another part of him, the tiny voice that had been growing since he had started dating Raven was reminding him to take this seriously; to trust her with everything. He knew he had to explain his actions back in her room and how they had to talk about  _all_ of it. That's what people in relationships did... he just wasn't sure how to start and he  _certainly_  didn't expect Raven to kick things off. He was the one at fault, after all.

If Raven was anyone else, she probably would have jumped when Beast Boy silently laced his fingers with hers, atop of her lap. He shuffled closer and stared at her,

"Raven..." He addressed, gaining her attention.

She slowly lifted her head and saw the emotions swirling in his deep, green eyes. There was fear, a lot of fear. But, there was also remorse, affection and a large portion of self-loathing.

That's what she could feel the most which was why she wasn't trying to make him feel worse about what had happened between them. He was already blaming and hating himself enough; he didn't need her adding to it especially as she didn't actually blame him.

As soon as the words had fallen from his lips earlier on in the day, she had gotten that concerned twitch between her shoulders. She  _knew_  something was wrong with him, even if he himself hadn't known at that point. He would never act that way around her, or anyone really, if he was his normal self. It just wasn't in Beast Boy to act so... aggressive, without good reason.

He rubbed the back of his head with his free hand and gave her a sheepish smile,

"I... don't really know where to start... I guess... first, just sorry for being a real asshat." He blurted, making Raven smirk.  _That_  was more like Beast Boy.

"Asshat?"

He chuckled, "I'm trying... hang on..." He took a deep breath and Raven felt a thud in her chest. She was actually quite touched that he wanted to take this so seriously,

"I'm so sorry about what went down in your room this afternoon... I-I didn't mean to... it's just... this thing inside of me... once it gets a grip on me, it's hard to shake it," He cleared his throat and cast his eyes down.

Raven blinked, "So... what happened? It couldn't have just been about me keeping the book-"

He shook his head, "No. It wasn't that... I understand keeping things from the past because you were right; I do still have things of Terra... just so I never forget. It was... just..."

She squeezed his hand, encouraging him in that silent way of hers. He gave her a timid smile and took another breath,

"You mean a lot to me, Raven." He admitted, causing her pale cheeks to flush slightly, "As a friend and even more as a... girlfriend. There's always been  _something_  that's connected me to you... something that has recognised how important you are... I think... seeing the book and being reminded of Malchior just... it brought back all the pain I saw you go through; the pain that  _he_ caused. I remember how much he hurt you and how betrayed you felt."

She felt a cold shudder ripple across her skin at the memories. Malchior had done a lot of damage; probably more than most people thought. She'd never put so much trust and faith into someone and when she learned of his true intentions... something inside of her just crumbled. It had been an experience to say the least, one that she hoped never to repeat.

"The beast... it remembered too, I guess. I don't know how to explain it but... seeing the book and being reminded of what he did... it just stirred something. I think I got so angry because I never want to see you hurt, Raven. Not by anyone. I think that's why the beast comes."

She tilted her head, "What do you mean?"

"It comes out to protect you. The only reason I lost control earlier is because all I could think of was Malchior and how he made you feel. That made me angry and the gut feeling was to protect you... I think that's why the beast came out the first time too... you were in danger because of Adonis... that asshole... it's always been about keeping you safe."

"The beast... is because of me?" She asked, not sure whether she should feel flattered or guilty.

He gave her a warm smile and shrugged, "You make me lose control when you're in trouble... I get so worried... I think the beast just takes his cue from there. I mean, you lose control around me too."

Raven hadn't considered that, even though it was true. Her feelings for him made her slip up with control quite often and she was still working on keeping herself in check. Even with her hand clasped in his, she was reigning herself in and trying to embrace the emotions, rather than push them away.

She quirked an eyebrow, "We make quite the pair."

Beast Boy grinned, "At least we have something in common and we're not  _complete_ opposites."

Raven shifted her eyes, feeling meek, "Did you mean the things you said?"

He turned sheepish, "Um... which parts?"

She bit her lip and narrowed her eyes at him, "You own me?"

Beast Boy cringed and rubbed the back of his neck once more, "O-Okay... I totally didn't mean it...  _like that_. I swear, Rae... I'd never think of you as my  _property_  or anything."

"Then what  _did_  you mean?"

"I meant it like... you're the only person I've felt this kind of connection with... where I feel this overwhelming need to make sure you're safe and protect you if you're not... where I wanna spend time with you, even if it's something boring like reading-"

She gave him a look and he chuckled, "Sorry... um... animals have this territorial instinct which is why I probably said it in that way and I was on edge with my control... I kind of... it just came out... sorry."

Raven nodded, "It's okay... but, you  _know_  I can look after myself, don't you?"

Beast Boy echoed her nod, "Duh... but um... I think that side is what fuels the beast; the side that worries about your safety and everything. Honestly, I don't completely understand it myself just yet."

She brought her free hand over his, "I get it. It's okay."

He went quiet and she glanced up at him. Some of his hateful emotions had dissipated and she could feel her own emotions regarding their argument fade as well.

But, there was still something niggling away at him and she was fairly certain it wasn't to do with their dispute.

"Beast Boy?"

Keeping his head down, his voice was so soft and broken sounding; she almost didn't hear him,

"I really  _am_  sorry."

"I know-"

"I never meant to get that worked up... it was like this haze and I couldn't get away from it. And then, I just snapped..."

Raven watched him carefully, surprised at how deep this ran for him. He always had the way of a light-hearted jokester and she guessed, she just wasn't used to seeing him without the mask. She didn't doubt that Beast Boy was anything less than a happy-go-lucky idiot with a heart of gold. But, she knew there was sadness in him. It was faint but he had insecurities and demons, just like everyone else. He was just better than most at putting it to the back of his mind.

"Beast Boy... it's really okay. You weren't yourself-"

His head jerked up to gaze at her, "That's not an excuse. I can't just blame the things I do wrong on the beast. It's still  _me_. I-I could have really hurt someone-"

She furrowed her dark brows and tugged him so he kept eye contact with her, "But you didn't. Cyborg had some scrapes but he was fine. And, through it all, you  _never_ hurt me and I was never afraid that you might, either. The beast might be a little chaotic but you didn't touch me. You were loyal and looked out for me, even taking your anger down to the gym rather than with me. You may not have been you, but valid or not, you knew right and wrong even through the haze. Don't blame yourself so much."

Beast Boy let her words sink in and slowly nodded. He sighed and drummed his fingertips against the infirmary mattress once again.

"There's something else." Raven pointed out, keeping her tone gentle to let him know she was here for him.

He gifted her with a timid smile before it vanished and he stared at the plain bed spread of the cot, "I just wish I didn't have to deal with this."

"The beast?"

"I hate knowing I have that thing inside of me... and it scares me. I'm scared of what it does to me and what it changes me into. I don't wanna be  _that._  I like happy, jokey me... not snarling, fangs and claws."

"You're happy, jokey Beast Boy. Period. Nothing changes that; not even the beast."

"But it does... I feel like this will never go away... that I'll never be able to control it when I get angry. I just... hate feeling so helpless with my own powers."

Raven felt his emotions rush over her and her heart twisted. She wanted to help him through this in any way that she could. It physically hurt to see him in such a low place rather than grinning and arguing with Cyborg about tofu or something, like he usually would.

Beast Boy suddenly blushed, "Sorry... I shouldn't be bothering you with-"

She pulled a face that made him chuckle. She took a breath, "I'm your girlfriend, Garfield... I'd be more concerned if you  _didn't_  bother me with how you feel."

His smile only grew at both the use of his real name and the obvious humour in her voice.

"What if I'm stuck like this, Rae? Always waiting and watching for the next time I snap."

"Don't think like that. Pessimism is my thing, remember?" Raven interjected,

Beast Boy gave a breath of a laugh but rolled his shoulders, self doubt still etched across his features.

Raven's blue eyes searched his face, wanting to console him but not wanting to give him false hope or information. Even she didn't know if Robin and Cyborg would find anything to somehow 'cure' the changeling.

"Robin and Cyborg are working hard on it... I'm sure they'll find something. This is still good, Gar. Now that we know the deep rooted problem, we can all try and figure something. It will work out."

His eyes were a tad brighter than they had been and she could feel a simmering in his emotions. He was calmer and trying hard to think positively which was all anyone could ask of him at the moment.

More than anything, Raven could feel the fear rolling off of him. He didn't want anything to drastically change in his life because of the instability. Who could blame him really?

This problem had been thrust on him out of nowhere both the first time  _and_  now. Whilst she had been angry at him during their argument, her concern had outweighed the anger by a long shot. She didn't care about the words he had spewed at the time. He hadn't meant them and she knew, in her gut, that was the truth.

She knew Beast Boy better than she thought she did, and this sombre, serious attitude of his was surprising to say the least. She inwardly smirked; maybe her immature boyfriend was growing up. Although, a small part of her hoped he wasn't growing out of the immaturity  _too_  fast.

She still cared for that piece of his personality more than she would ever admit.

The empath grew tired of his solemn behaviour. She knew he had things to work out, but she wanted that hyena laugh to burst from his throat.

Grabbing his chin, she forced his face upwards and pressed her lips to his. He gave a muffled noise of surprise but she felt him grin into the kiss. Raven relaxed slightly as she felt the familiar buzz of his personality. It wasn't as strong as usual but she didn't expect it to be.

She just wanted his spirits lifted, if only for a little while.

Beast Boy moved his hands up Raven's back, cupping her shoulder blades as he eagerly responded. It wasn't often Raven initiated affection, for her own control reasons but when she did... boy, would he kick himself if he happened to miss it.

Raven could feel the bubbling emotions in the depths of her chest and tried hard to keep herself calm. She continuously reminded herself to embrace and enjoy the feelings, rather than repress them like she had been doing for years.

It wasn't easy and she was still learning, which she appreciated Beast Boy understanding.

She lifted her hands and gently cupped his cheeks, tilting her head to change the dynamic of the kiss. When Beast Boy swiped his tongue against her bottom lip, she felt the jolt and slowly sat back from him, breaking the kiss.

Beast Boy's expression gave her a fluttering feeling in her stomach and she didn't need to see her reflection to know she was blushing like mad. But, she felt better to see that she wasn't the only one blushing from the kiss.

The changeling looked well and truly dazed. There was this lazy little smile on his lips and his eyes had softened.

"Wow... you didn't even blow anything up this time..." He whispered,

Raven shyly smiled, "This time..." she paused, "Let's hope it stays that way."

Beast Boy made a 'hmm' kind of sound and Raven felt a little smug, being able to drag this sort of reaction from him. He slowly blinked at her before grinning in excitement,

"Can we do that again?"

Raven playfully narrowed her eyes at him, gently pushing his face away,

"Don't push it."


	18. Chapter 18

"So... it won't be forever?"

Cyborg smiled and placed a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder, whilst using his other to give him a round, violet pill. Beast Boy accepted it and blinked down as it sat in the palm of his hand.

"N'aw, man. Doesn't look like it." He returned,

Beast Boy slowly exhaled in relief and a big smile found its way onto his face. He sat on the edge of the cot in the infirmary with Raven sitting right at his side. She allowed herself a small smile, glad that this setback wouldn't be a continuous obstacle for him. She didn't want him to be constantly worried about this; it wasn't in his nature to be so serious and cautious. He was carefree and untroubled in his personality and his actions.

She wanted him to stay that way; exactly the way he was.

Raven could feel the euphoria beginning to roll off of him but she faltered, sensing his hesitance. He wasn't convinced that his troubles had been diminished just yet.

"Are you sure?" Beast Boy queried,

"As sure as I can be, man." Cyborg commented, rubbing his head as his human eye scanned over the computer screens again, "I mean, I've run through the diagnostics of the formula nearly a thousand times since mixing it all together. There doesn't seem to be any crack or slip up that I can see. Right, Rob?"

Stepping closer to the bed, Robin nodded with his arms folded over his chest. Starfire passively floated beside him, merely observing with big, concerned eyes.

All of them were worried. It was subtle and unspoken but it was there like a foghorn.

They had always known his morphing abilities might take a toll on his physical health one day but none of them thought it could be accelerated due to the incident with Adonis those few years ago.

Now that, was unexpected in the worst kind of way.

The chemicals had amped it up, hence the recent and out of the blue shift in his mood and his outburst. That fight with Adonis and the chemicals had been years ago but something had been retained in the genes and cells of his DNA. He had been like a dormant volcano and all of them had been unprepared for it.

The shape shifting genetics were not from birth so they were bound to change and modify throughout Beast Boy's life. It wasn't strange that they had changed at least; the whole team knew how unstable the genes were. It gave him the ability to transform his entire body; his bone structure, his joints, his muscles.

Everything inside of him altered whenever he shifted into an animal.

It was a part of who he was but it was concerning nonetheless. Watching him change and shift and never really knowing what the outcome would be.

But, Beast Boy wasn't one to dwell on things like that which is why, they guessed, it had jolted them all so much. Beast Boy was so afraid of what was happening to him, just like the first time and it was scary to see one of the most joyful and carefree members of the team so engulfed in fear.

Robin's voice filtered through to Beast Boy's brain, "From the research we've done on this one, taking this medication for the duration of about a year should work. There's no reason it shouldn't." He took a breath, "its job is to settle the morphing gene once and for all... to kind of freeze the chemicals still attacking your cells that causes the instability. With the vitamins, it will set it on course again."

Beast Boy nodded, rolling the purple pill over in the palm of his hand, sensing there was a pause or but coming up in what Robin was saying.

"Of course, that's not to say something like this won't happen again." Robin shrugged, "There will always be an instability regarding the morphing gene. There's no real way of stopping that and there's no guarantee that we won't come up against this kind of issue again but..."

Ears drooping, Beast Boy found himself slouching a tad and hope draining from his heart,

"So... it's not just gonna go away then, huh?" He murmured, sadly.

Robin placed a gloved hand on his shoulder, "Beast Boy, it's not for sure that it  _will_  happen again. It might and it might not. But, you don't have to worry, if it was to happen again, it won't be for a long time."

"How long?"

His leader tilted his head from side to side in consideration, "Maybe 30 years, give or take?"

Beast Boy felt a relieved breath fall from his lips, "Really?"

Robin offered him a small, comforting smile, "Really. We've run through the ingredients of this pill. It's got some hardwired stuff in it to ensure it does what it's supposed to."

The changeling nodded but fidgeted a little, biting his lip. He cast Raven a hesitant glance before staring back down at his lap,

"Maybe... I should..." He trailed off and Raven found herself frowning,

The empath squeezed his hand to prompt him into speaking again, "What?" She asked in a soft voice reserved for difficult situations such as these,

Beast Boy shrugged and looked up to Robin this time, a sense of dread pooling in his eyes, "Maybe... I should take a leave from the team... stop being a Titan or something... surely that would settle the gene if I just stop morphing-"

"No."

Blinking, Beast Boy stared at Robin who defiantly had his arms crossed over his chest but his expression didn't quite match.

"No." Robin repeated, "you morphing for fights and missions won't change or accelerate any form of deterioration. Whether you leave or stay as a Titan, the gene will remain in the same condition."

Beast Boy slowly smiled; a hopeful smile, "Really?"

Robin nodded.

The shape shifter felt the relief flow through him. It was like a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders in a matter of words and sentences. He didn't want to stop being a hero, he didn't want to leave the Titans. He loved his team; his family and it physically hurt to even consider leaving them.

The influx of relief was overwhelming and he felt Raven tighten her grip on his hand again; just a little to reassure him. He spared her a glance and felt his heart swell at her tiny smile; one of his favourite kind of Raven smiles.

"Man, everyone has instabilities from time to time. This is no different. Don't be thinkin' you need to make any drastic changes." Cyborg commented,

Beast Boy scoffed, "I don't see any instability in the rest of you guys."

Cyborg raised an eyebrow and snorted, "My circuits are constantly needing to be checked and monitored to make sure nothing goes south in a battle. I'm always upgrading and changing them over. That makes my armour unstable. I never know when something will happen but I gotta get on with it and not worry over it every second of the day, man."

Beast Boy slowly nodded as he let that sink in. It was true; Cyborg was forever working on his robotic features to make sure he was at his best.

Raven gently nudged his shoulder and tilted her head, "We both know I have instability over my powers hence why I need to meditate regularly. I don't exactly want to but it stops my powers going haywire during a mission."

Her boyfriend smiled sheepishly, completely forgetting about that one. Out of everyone, Raven was the strictest about her control regimen. She always made time for meditation every single day, regardless of what else was going on in her life.

"Oh yeah." Beast Boy chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck in slight embarrassment,

"I too share the need to control my powers, friend." Starfire mentioned, floating closer and smiling to encourage him, "I have much built up energy inside of me that must be carefully expelled to ensure no problems arise that compromise my abilities within battle. I must also not allow my solar energies to deplete, thus why I enjoy the sunlight so very much. It is rejuvenating."

Beast Boy blinked. He had no idea that Starfire had any kind of difficulties with her powers. She was not very vocal about her starbolts nor had she ever really gone in depth about how her powers came to be. He just always assumed she was born with them.

From the way Robin was staring at her, he hadn't known that about her powers either.

Robin tilted his head at Starfire, obviously trying to gain a little more information but she simply smiled at him, waving her hand which translated to, "later".

Turning his head away, Robin shrugged, "Even without powers... instability and control are things I have to be careful of but more so... emotionally. Letting my emotions get the better of me can be trouble."

Cyborg raised an eyebrow at him, "So, we've seen in the past..."

Robin narrowed his eyes at his friend for the briefest of moments before dropping it.

Beast Boy quirked the smallest of smiles, "Thanks you guys... for... ya know." He mumbled,

"We've all got to watch ourselves every now and then, BB. You'll never be alone with it." Cyborg told him,

The changeling nodded before inhaling a deep breath. He picked up the glass of water from the bedside table and rolled his shoulders, staring at the little purple pill that he was pinning some hope on.

"Here goes." He murmured and popped the pill into his mouth, swallowing it with a quick swig of water.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Cyborg noting the date down on his arm; no doubt setting a reminder to coincide with the next time he would have to take another pill which would be a few months, more than likely.

Beast Boy smacked his lips together, trying to taste it, "Hey! It tastes like blueberry!" He chirped,

Raven rolled her eyes whilst Robin smirked and Starfire gave into one of her twinkling giggles.

"Thought you'd appreciate that." Cyborg laughed,

Licking his lips, Beast Boy smiled. The others felt the sombre mood decrease. He was smiling his usual Beast Boy smile and that excitable spark had returned to his eyes.

He would be okay. This was just another thing to deal with but he would manage and it could be controlled as it was supposed to be.

Raven's gentle playing with his fingers became his sudden focus. He turned to her and gave her a warm smile. She ducked her head a little, timid over what she was about to say to him.

"You know... if you wanted... you could try meditation with me. I know it's not exactly your thing but... it might help. You wouldn't need to constantly do it like I do but... sometimes..." She informed him,

He considered that and opened his mouth to speak but Starfire's exuberant voice beat him to the punch,

"Oh yes! Beast Boy, I highly recommend the meditation! It is most calming and fun especially when Raven guides you through it."

Raven flushed a little but silently favoured Starfire with a small smile, appreciating her thoughts on meditation.

Beast Boy lifted Raven's hand and pecked the back of it, sending her into more of a blush which only served to make him grin more.

"That sounds awesome, Rae. I'd love to try meditation with you."

Raven bobbed her head and cleared her throat, bringing their hands back down so he wasn't tempted to kiss hers again.

Not that she didn't like it of course, but... she was only just beginning to warm to public displays of affection.

And she was desperately holding herself back from smacking the others. She wasn't even looking at them but she  _knew_  they all wore little smirks.

Cyborg looked up from his arm and grinned, "Alright... with that concern over... what's say we order some pizza and play some video games!?"

Beast Boy's eyes lit up and he released Raven's hand as he stood up, "Aw yeaaah dude! You know it!"

His best friend smirked and turned, bolting out the door to order the pizza. Beast Boy paused and his eyebrows furrowed,

"Wait! No meat on the pizza! Hey! Cyborg!" Beast Boy called as he bounded after him,

Raven blinked and shook her head at her boyfriend. She was beginning to think her worries about his playful behaviour ceasing were moot.

There wasn't a situation that could present itself that would make that boy stop his carefree ways.

She stood up and eyed Robin and Starfire, "And... that's about as serious as he will ever be." She told them in her sarcastic tone.

Robin chuckled and put the notes regarding Beast Boy's antidote safely into the infirmary cupboard for later referencing.

"If we want to see any of that pizza, we should probably go to." Robin mentioned, taking Starfire's hand in his and politely gesturing the door for the girls to go through first,

Raven snorted as she walked out, "Question is, do we want to see them scoffing it so fast to ensure we don't get any?"

Starfire giggled as the couple followed their friend out into the hallway.

Robin tugged Starfire along as she floated and when Raven was a short distance away from them, he turned to look at her. He was curious.

Smiling at the ground, Starfire lifted her eyes to him,

"Yes?"

Robin sheepishly smiled, "I... didn't know that about your powers."

Starfire shrugged, "It is not something I have mentioned before. It is unimportant."

He gave her a look, suggesting that was a lacking response but Starfire merely giggled, snuggling up to his side as they moved towards the common room. She playfully tapped the tip of his nose and nuzzled his cheek,

"Robin, I assure you, if it was something that concerned me, I would have told you long ago."

He chewed his lip, digesting that and slowly exhaled, knowing that was true.

"You promise?" He murmured,

She brushed her fingertips against his cheek, "I promise."

"Good." He grunted before breaking into a soft smile, "So... what  _would_  happen if you didn't let go of your solar energy?"

Starfire frowned, "My powers are... complicated. They are solar powered meaning they are... rechargeable."

"I knew  _that_. But, what, do you get too much energy?"

She shuffled, unsure of how to explain herself.

"In a way... there is the fine line. There is always energy inside of me... a somewhat energy that can be destructive and reactive if the energy was to lay dormant for too long... and if I were to expel it all at once..." Starfire winced, "I would become extremely weak..."

Robin nodded; he didn't need to be a genius to piece together what would happen if she got that weak. The thought alone made him feel cold and made him want to cuddle her.

"Huh... interesting."

Starfire scratched her upper arm and furrowed her eyebrows, "Truthfully... there are aspects of my powers that even I am not sure of yet."

He gave her another nod and Starfire bit her bottom lip,

"Forgive me for not informing you of this when we initially became a team... at that point, I was very unaware of the extent of my... starbolts as you all label them so fondly." Starfire mumbled, quirking a small smile at the term,

Robin squeezed her hand and offered her one of his boyish, lopsided grins that made her all but melt. He threw a quick glance in Raven's direction before taking a step closer and pecking her lips. It was swift and sweet but Starfire would have liked his lips to linger a little more.

Starfire blushed at the contact whilst Robin continued to grin, looking fairly proud of himself for causing such a reaction. That thought amused her; they were always in this unspoken competition with one another, trying to see who could make the other blush the most.

"That's okay. I was just curious."

His Princess beamed at him and allowed her boyfriend to continue leading behind Raven, into the common room.

When they reached said room, the three of them found the all too familiar scene of Beast Boy and Cyborg arguing over pizza toppings with the poor pizza guy stammering on the other end of the phone.

Raven rolled her eyes but made no move to stop the genuine smile that appeared across her lips, glad that Beast Boy hadn't taken this issue too close and let it gnaw at him.

He had done the mature thing; let those around him comfort and help him and that in itself was an incredible merit on his part.


	19. Chapter 19

Days after Beast Boy's incident turned to weeks which turned to months. Things were progressing well with him once again. He was settling back into himself which all of them breathed a sigh of relief over.

None of them wanted this setback weighing too heavily on him as time went on.

He had accepted the instability was something to be watched and monitored. He had recently taken his second antidote of the overall three that needed to be consumed over the space of a year since the first one.

Cyborg and Robin were keeping an eye on him but from a distance. They didn't want to overwhelm him and constantly be checking up on him. They knew he would be angry and upset if they fussed too much.

The others had to give him space, letting him know that he wasn't a fragile item at risk of breaking just because of the unstable morphing gene.

He didn't want that and neither did they.

In fact, he had seemingly returned to his usual self so much; it was hard to think he had ever lost himself in the haze of panic, as he sat in the kitchen beside Cyborg, taunting their leader.

Robin exhaled and fumbled with the collar of his shirt a little, tuning the terrible twosome's jabs and innuendos out as much as possible.

Despite their teasing, he smiled and felt his heart thump at the prospect of the night ahead of him.

He and Starfire had finally reached 6 months into their relationship. It wasn't the biggest milestone but enough to acknowledge and celebrate it. Half a year was something he was immensely proud of; that they had actually managed to maintain their romance for this long.

Robin didn't doubt them as a couple and he wasn't all that shocked the fact they had reached 6 months; it was more so a personal surprise. He was stunned he hadn't screwed things up with her yet.

In the beginning, he had been a lot worse than he was now. He had been a stuttering buffoon who, more often than not, said the complete wrong thing at the wrong time. He was learning alongside Starfire. They were both completely new to relationships and were being careful in how they dealt with things. There were miscommunications and grievances every now and then but the main thing was to work through them.

It was a two way street; a situation of give and take between them.

It was how relationships worked.

Of course, his coherent thoughts flew straight out the window when Starfire finally made her appearance in the common room. She was wrapped in a purple, chiffon spaghetti strap dress. The skirt was light and floated around her thighs as she moved whilst the top half was formfitting and showed off her assets rather well; in a tastefully sexy way, of course.

Tiny silver gems were dotted just below her breasts; a ring of diamantes around her ribs to give the dress a bit more sparkle.

He vaguely remembered heat flooding his face and his palms getting rather sweaty.

Starfire had giggled, given him a brief yet tender kiss and stroked her knuckles against his cheek. He'd stared back at her for a long moment, losing himself in the sheer depth of her emerald eyes.

Of course, a mocking cough from Cyborg had him turning beet red and awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck, suggesting they head out. Starfire had merely taken his hand and smiled, leading them out the door and leaving the teasing laughter of the boys behind.

Together, they spent the evening revelling in one another's company. It was so serene to just spend time together without the worry or hassle of having to rush off to a mission. The young couple held each other's hand throughout the entirety of the evening.

Robin had taken her back to the funfair, the place they had visited so early on in their  _friendship_. That night, however, had effectively been halted and ruined by the mechanical probes chasing after her because of Blackfire.

But, he didn't want that to cloud Starfire's mind tonight. He did his best to show his caring nature. He gave her cuddles and brief kisses throughout the duration of their date, still keeping the pda on a somewhat neutral level. They weren't out as civilians; they still needed a dose of professionalism between them.

Then again, he didn't think either of them were the type to make a huge deal in public. As affectionate as Starfire was, she wouldn't just start making out with him in a public location due to knowing how uncomfortable it can make humans feel. It was just a common courtesy.

Dividing their time between rides and sugared food and a short walk along the pier proved to be quite relaxing. Robin found himself sighing in content and not wanting to return to the tower.

They stood at the end of the pier, staring out at the moonlight hitting the calm ocean waves. It was peaceful and cosy, especially with Starfire resting her head on Robin's shoulder. His hand idly stroked at the small of her back as he gave her a side snuggle whilst subconsciously breathing in the scent of strawberries from her hair.

"Do you wanna go home, Star?" He whispered, the drowsiness practically radiating from her.

Starfire gave him a muffled, non committed sound.

Robin chuckled, "What was that?"

Lazily, she lifted her head to look at him, "If we must."

He tucked some of her hair behind her ear, "We don't have to but you're practically falling asleep there."

"Apologies... It is just so nice. We rarely have time together like this."

Robin smiled sympathetically. It was true. They didn't have the luxury of venturing out on too many dates. He knew, deep down, he would take her out a lot more if he could but being heroes was demanding to say the least.

He turned his head to give her nose a kiss, "I know." He murmured,

Inhaling a deep breath, Starfire lifted her head from Robin's shoulder and tugged at his arm.

"Come. I am not quite ready for this evening to end." She gave him a loving smile,

Robin found himself matching her smile and allowed her to lead him back to the funfair.

They did indeed spend a short time longer there. They got some candies to munch on and Robin won Starfire a plushie at a stall game. He had immediately smirked upon seeing the test of skill. It was a game of throwing darts at the playing cards pinned up on a board.

He weighed them up in the palm of his hand when the attendant gave them to him. More often than not, these carnival games were rigged in some form or other. He should know.

Finding they were clipped, Robin breathed out a laugh. It made no difference to him. Being raised by Batman had taught him numerous things. He fought with birdarangs all the time and knew how to throw practically anything with precision after years of perfecting such skill.

Feeling cheeky and smidgen cocky, Robin flashed Starfire a grin and threw the three darts all at once, nabbing 3 cards right in the centre.

Starfire giggled whilst the game attendant gaped at him. He shrugged that off; what did he think was going to happen? He was known as the boy wonder for a reason, after all.

Robin tugged on the sleeves of his jacket as Starfire floated up to claim whatever plush prize she wanted. When he turned to her, his cheeks tinted pink.

There she stood with a stuffed Robin plushie. It was a chibi styled toy; the mask on his cotton doppelganger taking up the majority of its face and the colour of his uniform so bright, he blinked a few times to adjust.

He tilted his head at Starfire, "Really?"

She just grinned at him, "Is it not adorable?"

Robin chuckled, "If you say so."

Placing his hand at the small of her back, Robin steered her away from the stall and they strolled through the fair which was slowly winding down for the night.

"I believe you may have the competition, Robin."

"Oh?"

She gave her Robin plushie a squeeze, "Mhm. This Robin is so much softer and cuddlier."

He lifted his hand to the left side of his chest and gave a mock expression of shock, "I'm offended! Well, if that one is so much better... I suppose you won't be needing  _any more_  cuddles from me-"

She caught him off guard with a glomp, the Robin toy squished between them. He laughed as she wrapped her arms around him and Starfire found her heart fluttering. She loved it when Robin laughed. It was such a joyful sound; full of freedom and mischief.

He was so stern a lot of the time and to see this side of him, the more relaxed side was glorious. She felt special to be able to experience this part of his personality.

Robin's laughs simmered and he raised an eyebrow at her as she had stopped giggling to just gaze at him,

"What?"

"I adore the way you laugh, Robin."

He smiled softly, brushing her bangs out of her face before resting his hands on her waist, "Yours is better."

Starfire rolled her eyes but timidly smiled, "Must you compare and compete with everything?"

"Pretty much."

Tilting his head a little, he brushed his lips against hers before resting their foreheads together. Through the veil of his mask, Robin stared at her rosy lips,

"Ready to go?"

Starfire nodded.

Returning to the tower was uneventful. The journey was quiet but affectionate with Starfire cuddling up to Robin's back on the R-Cycle and Robin caressing Starfire's fingers when they stopped in traffic.

As they made their way through the tower, the couple attempted to be quiet. It was late and the others were bound to be asleep. With a cocked head at Robin, Starfire silently asked and Robin answered with a single nod.

They slipped into Starfire's room and turned away to give each other privacy whilst they got changed into sleep attire. Robin swallowed several times as he pulled on his sweats; the only thing he slept in.

He was dangerously tempted to turn or even just glance up at the window where he would see Starfire's reflection. Robin restrained himself but god, did he want to look. The better and more gentlemanly side of his brain firmly reinforced the notion to not look.

Briefly, he wondered if Starfire would even mind him sneaking a peek at her form. She was very open about nudity and not wearing clothing. She had told him before that her uniform would be considered bordering on prudish back on Tamaran, yet here, it gave him heart palpitations.

"Robin?"

Her honeyed voice pierced his senses and he turned, finding his chest tightening ever so slightly. She was very careful not to dress too skimpy whenever they shared a bed, which was becoming more frequent but even in more modest clothes; she still managed to take his breath away.

But, she was trying to put on more for Robin's sake. It was to aid them in not rushing their intimacy too quickly. She was aware how the male mind worked, of any species and so, did her best not to inadvertently tempt them.

Tonight she was wearing a silky strap camisole with matching shorts.

Shifting his eyes to look at her face, rather than anywhere else, he felt his heart shudder.

Starfire looked wonderfully dishevelled and sleepy; a combination which gave her an adorable appearance.

They both got beneath the sheets and drifted into slumber after some snuggling accompanied with kisses. Robin hadn't felt quite so at ease for a long time. Starfire had this uncanny ability of bringing out the lighter side of him. It was so _very_  easy to smile and to laugh in her presence.

**_The area was shrouded in complete darkness with a faint and eerie mist that seemed to be lingering. A peculiar silence filled the tainted air with only the minor sound of small twigs snapping as they were being stepped on. He glanced around in a daze. He was confused and disorientated. Where was he? How did he get here? Why was he alone?_ **

**_He began panting as his control started to slip from his grasp. His chest heaved as bewilderment consumed him and the world around his form was seemingly becoming darker and overpowering._ **

**_The dark haired boy stumbled forwards in a vain attempt to make sense of this deliriously intimidating forest that he was trapped within. The trees swayed with such force that it would not be unexpected if the branches were to suddenly snap and fall to the dusty ground with a thud. The dead leaves crunched beneath his boots as his determination clawed at him, causing him to quicken the pace at which he was moving._ **

**_Menacing shadows and shapes flashed before him as he broke into a run through the incessant forest. The howling wind picked up and whipped his cheeks mercilessly, in an effort to halt his fortitude but he found himself persevering._ **

**_Suddenly, he staggered into a hushed clearing but something in his gut told him that he was not out of danger yet. The threat remained._ **

**_His eyes immediately fell on the other life source that stood a short distance away from him with her back towards him._ **

**_"_ ** **_Star?" He paused, "Starfire!?"_ **

**_In a slow motion, the red haired woman turned towards him but her eyes remained closed. He breathed out a sigh of relief and the corners of his lips quirked upwards. The young boy knew that nothing bad could happen now that he was with her. He trusted her with everything that he was; surely he didn't need to fear her._ **

**_He jogged closer to her and gently touched her waist and used his free hand to cup her face and lead her into a kiss. A shudder of unfamiliarity and dread washed over him. Her lips were cold and felt hard like stone._ **

**_Her eyes suddenly snapped open and she grasped the front of his shirt and shoved him backwards, breaking the unreciprocated kiss._ **

**_The woman's eyes were dull and yet there was fury within them as she glared at the boy._ **

**_"_ ** **_Why did you kiss me?"_ **

**_"_ ** **_Because... we're... we're in a relationship and-"_ **

**_He winced at the mock laugh she offered him, "A relationship, with you?"_ **

**_"_ ** **_Star-"_ **

**_Wearing her scowl like a permanent mask, the young woman sashayed towards him keeping her monotonous green eyes trained on him the entire time. He gulped as she stood within inches from him, with only the faint sound of breathing being heard._ **

**_"_ ** **_What are you-"_ **

**_"_ ** **_Silence, human."_ **

**_He obliged her instantly._ **

**_She folded her arms over her chest and allowed her eyes to look him over ominously. She gave him a daunting smirk and her voice was that of a whisper,_ **

**_"_ ** **_I truly doubt that we are connected as you claim."_ **

**_"_ ** **_What?"_ **

**_"_ ** **_Why on Earth would I ever settle for someone like you?" She paused and placed him on edge with a tilt of her head, "I am royalty. I would never permit myself to do the dating with a simplistic circus brat, such as you."_ **

**_He swallowed the lump in his throat and tried to maintain his composure, yet his voice still came as a croak,_ **

**_"_ ** **_But... I-"_ **

**_She rolled her eyes at him and stepped closer so that he could feel her breath against his face,_ **

**_"_ ** **_I would never fall in love with such an embarrassing excuse for a hero. You are nothing to me."_ **

**_The words hit him like a bulldozer to the face and his heart beat increased from the stress of believing that she honestly didn't care for his existence. He could only stand there and accept it; his feet felt like they had melted into the soil beneath him whilst dark, crisp leaves fluttered around his ankles._ **

**_He felt numb. Her words had reached a weak spot within him. His world started crashing down around him as the icy statement repeatedly echoed inside of his head._ **

**_With a cackling laugh, she snapped her fingers and the ground vanished from beneath his feet. He screamed out as he fell, the sickening of his stomach only growing worse as he continually fell deeper and deeper into darkness._ **

Robin bolted upright, desperately gasping for breath. Sweat covered his body and his heart was beating so fast, it unnerved him a little. Shoulders hunched, he ran a hand through his damp hair and sucked in a deep breath to stabilise himself.

He cast a glance at his surroundings, immediately noticing and feeling comforted by the shades of purple splashed over Starfire's bedroom walls.

His eyes drifted down to the slumbering Princess beside him who was blissfully unaware of his inner turmoil. Inhaling a breath, Robin shuddered as the dream flashed in his mind. It seemed so very real.

Lifting the sheets, he silently crept from the bed and took a walk.

Robin inevitably ended up on the roof, having grabbed a white beater from his room on the way up. He needed fresh air to clear his mind and the roof was always so calming; and not just for him. He spent a lot of time up here with Starfire, usually talking about an assortment of things.

The boy wonder also knew that Raven meditated up here and that Beast Boy in the form of a cat would stretch out along the floor to get some sun. He was fairly certain even Cyborg used the roof for basketball when he needed his moments alone.

There was a bite to the air tonight but Robin found it extremely soothing.

Whilst he knew the dream had been just that;  _a dream,_ it held some very real insecurities. Insecurities that were hidden so well, he had almost forgotten they existed.

He frowned at the sea. There was a pang in his chest and he shifted a little.

It was a fear he tried to keep buried. He didn't want Starfire to be concerned about what anxieties were haunting his mind.

But there were moments where he truly felt he was greatly inferior to someone like Starfire. He could handle the fact she was more powerful and stronger than he was. But the thing that niggled at him came down to her being Royalty.

The fact she was a Princess constantly echoed in his head, more so at night.

He wasn't good enough for her. She was someone of a much higher status who should be paired with some Prince or army general.

As the demons in his dream had told him; he was just a human. He was a circus brat. He couldn't offer her what she deserved.

Robin felt himself slouch more at the sudden realisation of that.

Was she even that happy with him?

"Robin?"

For once, he jolted if only a tiny bit. He was usually the master of stealth but he'd been so cooped up with his own thoughts, he hadn't heard her approaching.

"Oh. Hey." He mumbled, his brain still latching onto his dream.

She crouched down at his side with a small smile, one that quickly melted off her face when she saw his hard expression.

"I awoke and you were not there."

Silence.

Starfire frowned, growing a little worried at his unusual behaviour.

"Please... it is cold, no? You should come back inside before you catch the cold." She gently touched his shoulder, only for him to jerk away from her.

"I'm fine."

A bit hurt, Starfire simply stood and turned, deciding Robin would clearly rather be alone. She'd barely taken one step before her hand was grabbed.

Swivelling, she looked down where Robin looked to be struggling with something.

"Wait... sorry. I just..." He trailed off but Starfire squeezed his hand and floated down to him again. Robin touched her waist and dragged her up onto his lap.

"What is wrong?"

His jaw gave into a miniature flex before he sighed, "I... had a dream."

"Was it of the nightmare calibre?"

"Most definitely."

"Do you wish to talk about it?"

That set him staring off at the sea again, apparently trying to figure out if he did want to talk about it or not. Starfire sat patiently, waiting for an answer.

"Yeah... I think so..."

He wanted to be more open with her wherever he could. It was hard for him to talk about things he considered weaknesses but maybe she could help dispel this particular one.

Starfire nodded, "What was it about?"

"You."

She blinked in surprise, "Me?"

Robin nodded, "Just... it wasn't you. I... I was in a forest and it was dark and cold and gloomy..."

She raised an eyebrow, "That does not sound like a location you would find me."

He gave her a brief, amused smile before continuing, "I felt scared and nervous... then, I found you but..."

Starfire touched his cheek, "But?"

"You were saying all these things that you wouldn't normally  _ever_  say..."

"Like what?"

Robin cleared his throat and cast his eyes sideways, not wanting to look her in the face whilst explaining, "That I meant nothing to you... how we couldn't possibly be in a relationship... how the very idea was laughable..." He paused, "You were repulsed by the very idea of it and you made it clear you'd never settle for someone like me; just some random human because you're a Princess... how I'm worthless and... what a sorry excuse I am for a hero..."

Starfire stared at him for a long moment, her brows furrowed in confusion before she suddenly laughed, "You do not truly believe these things?" She prompted, stunting her laughter,

He awkwardly shrugged, still refusing to look at her,

"Robin..." Her tone was hurt and he knew why.

It was very clear she thought the dream was preposterous and whilst the rational side of his brain said the same, there was the tiniest slither of doubt, hiding in the dark corners of his mind.

Starfire cupped his face and pulled him so she was staring at his mask. It made him nervous how she was practically spot on with where her eyes were looking, even through the barrier of the material he wore.

"How... could you possibly... I..." She stammered, not knowing what to say,

Robin sighed and finally placed his hands on her waist, "I know... and I know that it was just a dream and that it wasn't real..."

"And yet?" Her concerned eyes were searching his face,

"Sometimes... I do wonder about..."

"You truly believe I would be so shallow and-"

"No!" He blurted, "No, I know that you would never say any of those things."

She relaxed a little.

"But... sometimes, I do think I don't deserve you... or that you should be with someone better suited because of being a Princess... like a general or a Prince... not some human. I can't help but think you'd be happier with someone of higher stature..." He shook his head, feeling embarrassed by his confession,

Starfire rubbed her thumbs against his cheeks and leaned forward so their foreheads touched,

"Listen to me, Robin... I do not care for any of that. I do not care about the commanding rank someone falls within. I do not care that I am a Princess. I do not care if everyone in the galaxy thought I should be with a Prince of a general... You are the only man I want. You are brave and kind and strong and so very wonderful."

He felt his stomach and his heart flutter at her admission and quirked a shy smile.

"You have many strengths and you have flaws; both of which I accept and adore about you." She brought her arms around his neck, hugging him close, "I love you for you, Robin."

The words fell from her lips before she could think about what she was saying. They both froze, tensing up completely. Robin blinked behind his mask, unsure if he had heard her correctly.

That was  _not_ something either had said yet.

"What?" Robin asked, his voice wavering a little.

Starfire reacted instantly. She scrambled away from him, stumbling back once she got to her feet and starting stuttering like a mad woman, "I-I am sorry! I did not... that was... I realise that is too forward! Please do the forgetting I said anything! Oh, please do not do the freaking out! I-I did not mean it! It was the slip of the tongue! I-I take it back!"

Her ramble ended with a high pitched squeak as Robin grabbed her around the waist and spun her back around to face him. She was apprehensive and her eyes kept shifting back and forth, her face flaming.

She looked gorgeous.

Robin kissed her, pouring as much zeal into the action as he possibly could. His fingers gripped her hips and after a moment of shock, Starfire's palms settled against his chest.

And slowly, without her realising, Robin pulled them back down to the ground. He sat like before, with Starfire straddling him this time.

Starfire came away from the kiss breathless, her eyes twinkling with nerves,

"I love you too, Star."

Her eyes widened a fraction, "You do?"

Robin gave her a warm smile, "I do... it's not too forward. I just didn't expect it. But, I've wanted to say it for a while now."

Starfire sagged in relief, "So have I."

He tipped his head forward, rubbing his nose against hers, "Sorry I was a little slow there... I-I thought I'd heard you wrong at first."

His Princess giggled and smothered her face against his shoulder, giving him a tender embrace. She sighed and mumbled something too stifled to understand.

"What?" Robin chuckled,

Sitting up, she raised her eyebrows, "What?"

"You just said something."

"I believe you are mistaken, Robin."

"No, it was in Tamaranian and it sounded like... ot-otu n-an-"

Her cheeks flushed and she gingerly touched her fingertips to her lips, "I did?"

Robin nodded, rubbing her upper arms, "What does it mean?"

Starfire slid some hair behind her ear before speaking, "I-I... um... on my world an...  _Otu N'anya..._ is how we describe a significant other. It roughly translates as... uh... 'my one and only'..."

His lips quirked upward into a wide grin, his chest buzzing with the excitement of her words.

"I... am uncertain if there is a word for it on your planet." Starfire stated, tapping her lip thoughtfully,

"Humans tend to call their partners their 'soul mate'."

Starfire's eyes sparkled and she clapped her hands, "Oh Robin! What a wonderful translation!"

He smiled, gently pulling her to him and pressing a couple of kisses to her cheek. Robin cuddled her, feeling the silkiness of her hair brushing his skin. She was warm and loving in her hug. Starfire was very good at knowing her strength now.

And he spoke for a number of people when he said her controlled hugs were addictive.

"I love you, Star," He repeated, grinning into her hair,

He felt her smiling back as she replied, "And I you,  _Otu N'anya._ "

Robin sat there, just holding her for the longest time. Her breathing got so deep, he thought she'd fallen asleep at one point.

And, as he sat there with his girl, he considered the mask over his eyes. It seemed it was getting harder and harder to resist removing it.

All he kept thinking about was how much he wanted to properly share himself with her. His real self, buried and hidden beneath the cape and the mask.


	20. Chapter 20

A jab to the left.

A shot to the right.

Swipe, dodge, evade.

Catch.

Robin smirked whilst Starfire narrowed her eyes at him. With her fist caught, he snagged her forward until she stumbled past him, bringing her arm around her back and pressing her against the wall to detain her.

Starfire huffed, briefly resting her cheek against the cold wall. Strategies and escape techniques flitted through her mind.

Her expression switched to a grin. He was so very smug. She didn't even need to see his face to know he was smirking. He was always so competitive and just had to win in anything they did.

Jerking back against him to give herself just enough space to move her legs, she floated and slammed her feet up against the wall she had previously been shoved up against. With a determined shout, Starfire proceeded to run up the wall and flip backwards over Robin's head, effectively freeing herself from his grasp.

Robin turned around to look at her with a small, impressed smile.

Starfire tilted her head and smirked, motioning to her eyes as signal for him to focus.

He slowly shifted, watching her and waiting; presumably gauging when to strike. Starfire remained passive and hesitant, acting indifferent to his movements.

The slight narrowing of Robin's mask was his giveaway. He immediately charged at her with Starfire easily anticipating his moves from his tell. She slid across the floor and danced around him before grabbing his shoulders.

After getting a grip, she hoisted herself up into a handstand on his shoulders, her hair pooling around his face. She twirled in the air, curling down behind him and forcing her feet against the back of his knees.

Starfire flipped away from him just as he skidded across the mat and fell to his hands and knees.

The Princess felt a swell of pride; she had been working on that move. She'd practiced it without any of the others help, wanting to learn some techniques for herself.

Pride quickly faded to concern as Robin didn't get back up straight away. Starfire's face fell and her brows pinched together in fear.

"Robin?" There was a tremor to her voice,

With a deep intake of breath, Robin rested his palms flat against the ground and threw himself up and over, landing on his feet again.

Starfire let out a shaky breath, her fingertips touching her chest, "Oh... I feared I had harmed you,  _Otu N'anya_."

Robin smiled, "Nah. I'm tough." His expression turned to an intrigued one, "Where did you learn that?"

Puffing up proudly, Starfire beamed at her boyfriend, "It was portrayed in one of Beast Boy's combat video games." She shrugged, "I did not know the video games gave such potential techniques!"

The boy wonder blinked behind his mask before throwing his head back and laughing,

"You're incredible, you know that, right?"

Starfire winked, "I do the trying."

"How'd you get so good at it?"

"I have practiced when I could with the use of the inanimate being."

Robin scanned the side of the room, sensing he knew what she meant, "Dummy?"

She nodded.

"Will you teach me it?"

Starfire pretended to consider before grinning, "Perhaps."

He gave her an identical grin before shifting to a fighting stance. Robin flexed his fingers in that signature way of his, daring her to 'come at him'.

Green energy lit up her eyes and she zipped across the space between them so quickly, Robin barely had time to register it. He dove away, rolling onto his shoulders and back so he was standing again.

Starfire threw a punch that Robin inevitably blocked, batting her fists away as she continued her assault. He grabbed her wrists and threw her away. She stumbled backwards but didn't give up. Not his Star.

She altered her stance before turning into a roundhouse kick, aiming for his shoulder. Robin frantically ducked before she could touch him.

He caught her ankle and offered her a sly smirk which sent an electric jolt through her; nerves tingling from his expression.

Robin tugged her ankle towards his chest before suddenly pushing her backwards. With a muffled eep of surprise, Starfire wobbled and fell onto the mat on her back.

Starfire grumbled at being so easily subdued like that. So, when her smug best friend stood above her, ready to claim himself victorious of this sparring match, she rolled back onto her shoulders and floated until she was upright once more.

It continued like that for another hour; punches, kicks, flips, and throws all being refined or deflected. Learning techniques to be used in battle and helping each other become better, stronger and surer of their abilities.

Ragged panting escaped both of them and they felt the stickiness of perspiration clinging to their skin.

Robin had Starfire pinned against the wall, his hands pressed against either side of her. His breath fanned her face whilst her electric green eyes focused on his lips, taunting and teasing her every time he moved them.

Her back was completely plastered against the wall and she didn't really have it in her to carry on with their sparring match. She had her sights on him but for a whole other reason than mock fighting.

Swallowing, Robin found himself enticed as his girl bit her bottom lip, looking so very sexy doing so. It was a talent of hers; doing things that echoed her sex appeal without even realising. She was subconsciously sexy and it was both a wonderful and frustrating thing.

He brushed his lips against hers, unable to restrain himself from her anymore. Robin did it again with a little more force whilst still maintaining the teasing effect.

Starfire huffed before fisting the material of his shirt and dragging him closer to meet her for a proper kiss. Keeping her fingers locked, she used her other hand and slid her fingers into his hair, moaning as their lips melded so perfectly together.

Robin's hands fell from the wall and gripped her hips, desperate for her and finding the boundary they had agreed on, blurring the more kisses he managed to score. They'd been exploring and learning like this for weeks, trying different things and stepping outside of their comfort zones together.

They had yet to go below the belt but upper body and groping was fair game, expected even, during these make out sessions of theirs.

Her teeth nipped at his jaw for a brief moment before diving straight back to his mouth, softly giggling when he pushed his tongue inside of her mouth and dared hers into a duel of sorts.

Heat was spreading between them quicker than wildfire and it was Robin who made that abundantly clear.

Robin brought her hips against his and she smirked into their kiss as she felt his growing arousal for her. She fought not to grind against him; they had yet to talk about taking that kind of step in their relationship and whilst she greatly  _desired_  him, she knew that she was not yet comfortable for it to actually happen.

They would need to have a long chat before  _that_  step occurred; that she was certain of.

Starfire was acutely aware of her skirt bunching up where Robin had his hands on her so tightly. Feeling cheeky, Robin slipped his hands to her ass, giving her a brief and playful squeeze before hoisting her up, giving her the advantage to wrap her legs around his waist.

She swallowed the lump in her throat, knowing Robin could definitely feel the heat radiating from her skin and from between her legs.

Robin was quietly smug about how flushed her cheeks were as he pulled back. She gasped as he sucked on several spots along her jaw line. Starfire shivered, her skin prickling at the sensations his lips and tongue were providing.

Starfire cooed above the subconscious purring that had long since started rumbling in her chest. She clutched at his shoulders, silently melting every time he touched her.

She sighed, dropping her head back against the wall. This boy of hers was absolutely sensational and it surprised her just  _how_ much she loved him. He was her everything and the timid part of her hoped she was his everything as well.

"R-Robin?" She stammered, breathless,

Her boyfriend seemed disorientated as he raised his head from where he had been in the process of leaving a love bite on her neck.

"Huh?" He asked,

Starfire giggled, her eyes clouding with affection, "Perhaps… we should relocate… yes?"

Robin appeared to think about it for a microsecond before nodding enthusiastically, allowing her to drop her legs from his waist and took her hand in his.

They reached his bedroom a lot sooner than it usually took them and Starfire had an amused thought of why exactly, that was. She snuggled into his arm as he typed in the code to his door, allowing them inside.

Even amidst the haze of lust and desire, her Robin was still a gentleman, keeping one hand on the door to keep it open and using the other to usher her ahead of him. She bobbed her head in thanks and strolled inside, closing her eyes as his scent washed over her.

It was a musky fragrance with a soapy mint kind of hint. It was heavenly.

Starfire didn't have long to revel in the familiarity of what was him. Robin grabbed her hips and spun her around to face him, reattaching his lips to hers, desperate to get the fire going between them once more.

Giggles and sighs, Starfire curled her fingers against his shoulders whilst one of his hands snaked from her waist to the depths of her scarlet hair, effectively tethering them together.

They subconsciously moved backwards; unaware of it until Starfire felt the back of her calves bump against Robin's bed. She jerked at that but Robin paid no attention to it, instead using it as aid for his passionate ministrations.

He picked her up around the waist, never letting his lips drop from hers. She smirked at that and pressed her chest against his, bringing them as close as possible.

Robin pulled away for a second and gave her one single kiss before dropping her on his bed. She squealed and giggled as she bounced, brushing her hair out of her face to playfully scowl at him.

He chuckled and lowered himself to her, pecking her cheek and jaw line. Starfire was still humming happy sounds as he pushed himself up onto his elbows to look at her.

She laid there, her cheeks flushed and eyes twinkling with merriment. Red hair pooled around her head as she smiled; perfection was the only way to describe this woman beneath him.

"Please… there is something wrong?" She asked, reaching up to brush her fingertips against his neck,

Robin shook his head, "You're just… so beautiful, Star."

She blinked before she blushed and moved her hand from his neck to his cheek, running her fingers along his skin. Continuing upwards, her fingertips just lightly brushed against the edge of his mask.

It was quick but Robin saw it; the brief change in her eyes, the longing to see the man beneath the mask. She smiled brightly for him and sat up, intending to kiss him.

Robin held her wrists to stop her and sat back. Her face fell and she looked dejected at the apparent dismissal,

"Robin?" She asked, her tone sounding confused and a little hurt,

"Sorry… I just think we should stop for now." He replied, searching her face and mulling over some things in his mind,

"Oh…" She mumbled, retracting her hands and feeling more than a little disheartened, "If that is what you wish-"

He cupped her cheek, making her look up at him, "It's not that I don't  _want_  to, Starfire.  ** _Believe_**  me."

Starfire smiled before turning curious again, "Then… what is it?"

Robin cleared his throat and shifted until he was sitting opposite her. Taking her hand in his, he played with her fingers and focused on how soft they were, rather than what he was going to say.

"It's just… if we're going to go further and get more intimate…" He paused, his cheeks turning a light shade of pink whilst Starfire also stiffened, although not for the same reason of embarrassment, "Then… I don't want to have this barrier."

Now, she was confused, "What do you mean, Robin?"

He smiled timidly and pointed at his mask, "The barrier I've always had since the Titans first formed."

She remained silent, merely watching him with consideration.

"Star, I want to do more with you… things that are a little more daring. I mean, I want you… you know that and at some point… hopefully, we'll get to  _that_  stage in our relationship. But, I don't want to do that as Robin."

Starfire slowly tilted her head, the confusion clear on her face. He held up his hand as if signalling that she'd understand soon.

"I want you to know me… with and without the mask. I don't want to have a secret identity; not from you, anyway."

Her eyes softened but she looked downcast, "Robin… you do not need to-"

Using his free hand, Robin brushed some of her hair behind her ear and gave her a gentle smile, "Yes, I do, Star. I want to."

She looked up, her small smile one of hope,

"Besides, you deserve to know exactly who you'll be giving yourself to… if, y'know, we decide to…"

Starfire smiled and nodded, showing she understood.

"And it's not fair to either of us to pull away because of the mask."

Her fingertips touched his cheek, "As long as you are certain. I will not force the issue, Robin."

"I know you won't, which is why  _I_  need to. Otherwise, we'll always have this putting a block on the things we do."

Starfire sat regally, her hands folded atop of her lap. He scratched the back of his head as he pondered what he was going to say and how to say it,

"I guess, I'll have to tell the others too at some point… after I tell you, at least." He murmured,

"Not if you do not wish to,  _Otu N'anya._  No one is entitled to know who you are if you do not want them to."

He smiled at the protectiveness in her voice. Starfire bit her lip for a moment though,

"Unless… are you allowed to tell us? Surely… the Batman would be most unhappy."

Robin rolled his shoulders and sighed, "Most likely… technically, I shouldn't; not without giving him warning, at the very least. But, I trust you and I trust the Titans. You're my family. He'll just have to deal with a few more people being privy to his secrets."

Starfire looked uncertain but Robin squeezed her hand, "It'll be me that gets a lecture so don't you worry, alright?"

She nodded, knowing Robin had a strained type of relationship with his former mentor. He cared deeply for the Batman and yet, the two could fight like their lives depended on it. Robin's mood could turn sour very quickly after a visit or video call with Batman.

He cleared his throat and tugged at the collar of his cape, "So… where do I start… I guess, my name might be a good start, hm?" He chuckled nervously so Starfire gave him a soft, patient smile.

Robin exhaled, feeling relaxed by her. She was being quiet and patient for a reason; this was his time to collect himself and she was not about to push and prompt him. She'd wait until he was ready to speak.

Starfire understood that whilst such a thing may seem simple in theory; it was incredibly nerve-wracking and difficult for him. He had been Robin for so very long now and she knew how hard it was for him to stop being the hero and to resume being the human underneath.

It was his protection. The mask was his shelter; a way he'd lived since a young age. Taking the mask away would mean vulnerability, something Robin did not show very often. Starfire felt truly honoured to have him do this.

"I guess... to do this properly, I should start with the mask." He mumbled,

His hands reached for the edge of the mask and he slowly peeled it away, setting it down on the bed beside him before turning to face Starfire. He opened his eyes and peered at her, swallowing heavily as to calm himself.

Starfire quietly gasped and gazed at his eyes. They were the most amazing shade of blue; they were electrifying but held a depth of someone who has seen many things in his young life. Twenty years old and from what she knew so far, most of that had been spent as Robin, hidden by the mask.

The light above them caused his eyes to flicker, lighting them up as he lifted his head more.

She couldn't help herself; she scurried forwards on her knees and brushed her fingertips against the unfamiliar section of Robin's face. With a tiny smile, Starfire stared at the colour of his eyes more than anything else; completely amazed by them.

He chuckled, "Guess I should have expected that."

"Blue..." Starfire breathed, "And such a glorious shade as well. They remind me of the ocean outside."

Robin blushed and sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck, "Uh... thanks."

"I do not understand why you would ever wish to hide such wonderful eyes."

He rolled his eyes but smirked, "Oh you know... secret identity; that kind of thing."

Starfire giggled and sat back, taking his hands in hers again. Robin felt the weight of his anxiety fall upon him again. It was a difficult part of his life; what led to him taking up the mantle of Robin. It was hard to think about, hard to revisit and especially hard to open up and tell someone about.

Robin took a breath and stared at their joined hands, deciding it was easier to do without eye contact, "My real name is Richard Grayson... but, I became Robin when I was 9."

Scrunching up her face, Starfire was struck by curiosity. Robin had to smile at how much she looked like an adorable bunny when she did that,

"Wait... Richard Grayson?" She mused, electricity jolting through Robin at the sound of his real name rolling off of her tongue. He nodded.

"Please... I am aware of that name... he is quite famous within Gotham, yes?"

Robin smiled in amusement, "I suppose  _I_  am."

Starfire remembered herself and blushed, giggling as she realised her phrasing, "It would make sense... you have been inactive in Gotham for a long time..."

He nodded, "Yeah, if I remember correctly... boarding school was the cover for my lack of appearance."

"Your visits home  _have_  been short and infrequent..." Starfire mentioned, not that she personally wanted to be away from him but she knew his relationship with the Batman was only straining more with the lack of visits he spared him.

Robin's eyebrows furrowed, "Gotham isn't my home anymore. My home is here; with you and our friends."

Starfire smiled, her heart melting at the admission.

"Besides, it works with the cover story. Whenever I go back, it's kept short like school vacations."

She nodded before tapping her bottom lip, "Inform me if I am incorrect... but, if you are Richard Grayson..." He held his breath, seeing that she was working it out, "Is your father not Bruce Wayne? Which... surely would mean the Batman is-"

Robin sighed and his aura turned a little more serious than before, "Starfire, I have to reiterate this. You  _cannot_  tell another soul what I'm telling you. Whilst I have the attitude of I can tell you whatever I like, I wouldn't want his secret getting out too much either. He still raised me... no matter how much he can piss me off."

"I understand. But, I am correct, yes? He is..."

He sighed, "Yes. Bruce Wayne is Batman."

Starfire's eyes widened a little and she slowly nodded,

"Promise me, you won't say anything. Not even to Raven. Bruce would kill me if it spread around the Titans network." He grumbled,

Lifting her hand, Starfire cupped his cheek and gave him a brief kiss, "Robin... I will not tell a soul. I would never break your trust in such a way. I promise."

His smile was tender, "I know. Thank you."

Starfire beamed at him, "So, now I am privileged to knowing the man behind the mask."

"And?"

Her eyes were filled with affection, "Nothing changes."

Robin smiled before it faded, "Yeah, well... I... there's more."

She tilted her head, "You are not married, are you?"

He blinked at her before bursting out laughing, realising she was joking, "No. Nothing like that."

Starfire nodded, grinning to herself. He sat up, feeling his heart ache as memories washed over him and he considered how to tell her his own past.

"Bruce is my adopted father."

"Adopted? But, you look so alike. He is not your biological father?"

Robin gave a small, absent smile, "Nope."

Starfire opened her mouth to follow up with more questions but she hesitated, sensing Robin would get to it with time.

He cleared his throat and stared at their hands again, "I wasn't always legally Bruce's son. When... when I was younger, I... we... hang on..."

Robin took a deep breath and squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, steeling himself to continue,

"When I was a kid, I lived with my mom and dad at a circus... it was called Haly's Circus... to be specific. We travelled all over the country together and it was... the most fun place a kid could be in." He smiled wistfully, "It was unreal at that age. All the bright lights, the atmosphere, the laughter..."

Starfire's eyes were soft, compassionate and she was quietly shocked. The idea of Robin being a part of a circus was intriguing but very surprising.

His smile faded, "We were a family act, the three of us. We were a trapeze act; acrobats respectively. My parents... they were amazing when they performed. I had only just started to perform with them, being so young still. We were called, ' _The Flying Graysons'_  and we were pretty well known across the states. People would come from real far just to see us... our performance was one of the best because we did it all without a safety net."

Shifting, Starfire tilted her head and a frown found her lips. She could sense there was sadness coming. She was unsure  _how_  she knew but she could feel it; the sinking feeling in her chest that this story would not end happily.

Robin looked away, focusing on something at the edge of his room, "One day... this mob boss... Tony Zucco was his name... he came in with some of his guys, trying to threaten us and telling us that we'd benefit from paying them protection money. They were trying to extort the entire business but my dad... he wouldn't let them get what they wanted. He stood up to them for the owner of Haly's, telling them that... we weren't interested and that they should leave... they did and we thought that was it."

He cleared his throat several times before speaking, his voice cracking, "But, that night... we were due to perform in Gotham. It was one of the few shows my parents had agreed to let me join in on. It was fine at first... just like any other night..." His knee started to jiggle as he replayed the memory again and again in his mind, "But... just as I was supposed to come off of the platform... that  _bastard_... he'd tampered with the wires my parents were swinging on..."

Starfire gasped, her hand involuntarily flying to cover her mouth. There were tears pricking her eyes and her heart was pounding.

Robin swallowed the mountain in his throat, ignoring the sting of tears in his own eyes, "They loosened... And then they snapped... My parents... They fell and I couldn't... I couldn't save them... I- I couldn't do anything to stop it... I couldn't-"

A tear rolled down Starfire's cheek as she watched this man that she loved so much, crumble into the little boy who still deeply felt the severe loss of his parents. She silently crawled forward as he squeezed his eyes shut. Starfire collected him in her arms and kissed his hair, stroking his back and cradling him as best as she could. She knew she couldn't erase the pain but X'hal if she wouldn't at least try to offer him comfort.

"Oh...  _Otu N'anya_... I am... so sorry that you had to experience such a loss..." She whispered,

He kept his face buried in the crook of her neck, "I-I... sorry for being so..." He mumbled,

Starfire's grip around him tightened, "Shh... do not. The death of one's parents is a pain like none other; one that can never be truly understood by those who have not experienced it as well."

Robin sighed shakily and sat back, rubbing his arm across his eyes. Although he was letting his guard down, he didn't like to appear weak. It was something they had in common; or at least, Starfire thought so.

"God... I-I just miss them so much when I talk about them."

His Princess was patient, stroking her fingertips against his cheek, " _Please_ , know that, I shall always be here for you to talk to... if you ever feel the sadness... please, talk to me."

"After my parents, it was hard at first... I was placed in an orphanage just within Gotham for almost 5 months and I hated every minute of it. I felt like a prisoner or something. I tried to escape of course; tried to run away and hope they wouldn't find me but I got brought back every single time... by Batman."

Starfire quirked a smile, "Perhaps I am able to realise where your persistence comes from now."

Robin rolled his eyes at her but smiled, "Yeah, yeah... Batman swore to me to wait a little longer and that things would get better. As a 9 year old who had just recently become an orphan, I didn't have a lot of hope that he was right..." He paused, "But, after a couple more weeks, Bruce showed up with all the paperwork completed. I still don't know how he managed to wrangle the adoption process that quickly but he did it."

"That was most kind for him to do..."

"He saw himself in me. Bruce was amongst the crowd the night my parents died... he knew what I felt. He lost his parents as a little kid as well... at first, it was weird. I went from living in a physically affectionate trailer to this huge mansion with a billionaire and his butler, neither of which were exactly huggers. Whilst I appreciate everything Bruce did for me, I felt so alone wandering the manor day in, day out... until I became Robin anyway."

Starfire tilted her head, "Butler? Your  _k'norfka_ has servants?"

Robin lifted a finger to stop her, "Ah, no. Alfred is technically his butler but he's so much more than that. I look at him like a grandfather, in all honesty. I think he's the main reason Bruce and I never ended up clawing each other's throats out. He raised Bruce since his parents died. Alfred is a key member of the batfamily."

"He sounds wonderful."

He gave her timid smile, "Maybe you can meet him someday soon."

Starfire gave him a warm smile in return, "I would like that."

"You know, we may clash a lot but... I don't know what would have happened to me if Bruce hadn't taken me in."

"He is a good man, Robin. From what you have said... he may be stoic but I believe his heart is noble."

Robin nodded, "Yeah... I should give him more credit than I do..." He winked at her, "Not that I'll tell him that, of course."

She rolled her eyes playfully and surprised him by throwing her arms around his shoulders and giving him a hug. He raised an eyebrow but his arms came up around her back without hesitation.

"What-"

"Thank you, Robin... thank you for trusting me with this part of your life. Thank you for sharing who you are with me."

He kissed her knuckles, "I just thought... if we're going to be taking that step soon... I want us to know each other; even the bad stuff."

Starfire swallowed and she hid her falter well, "I never realised how much heartache consisted within your past, my love."

Robin shrugged, "Maybe, but I found Bruce and then I found the Titans... and, took me a while but I eventually found you as well."

She rubbed her nose against his and he released a soft sigh,

"I love you, Star."

"I love you as well... Richard."

The bolt of tingles shot through his spine again. He kissed her shoulder, "You know, my mom was only ever the one I let call me that. Most people just call me Dick for short."

Starfire gasped and looked remorseful, "Apologies. I will not-"

He smiled, touching her chin, "Actually... I think I'd prefer it if you called me that. It sounds...  _right_  coming from you."

Expression softening, Starfire pressed her cheek to his in a warm gesture and ran her fingers through his dark locks. They sat there, Starfire merely holding Robin. She felt him relax beneath her touch and she knew, deep down that he was highly relieved now that she knew who he was beneath the persona.

Starfire was pleased as well. She felt so much closer to him, now that she knew the truth. She tried hard to ignore the swell of guilt in her chest, forcing it to the back of her mind and deciding  _that_  was for another day.

As she rested her head on his shoulder, absently stroking his back, she found herself considering the Titans individually. None of them had it easy before they found one another. Starfire was acutely aware of each other Titan's pasts, Robin's always being the one that evaded her.

She knew her friends all had quite miserable childhoods. None of them had ever really gone too in depth about it but bits and pieces were given out now and then. Each of them had their demons to grapple with and each of them had experienced pain early on in their lives.

Starfire supposed it was fitting that such broken people were able to find one another and go forth to save others who were in need. She took solace in the fact that they  _had_  indeed found each other; in the wake of bleak pasts, they'd managed to forge a family between themselves. It was a little dysfunctional at times but it was theirs and it worked.

She smiled sadly as she snuggled into the crook of Robin's neck a little more.


	21. Chapter 21

There were no thoughts, no fears and no pressing emotions.

Just a blank scene in his mind.

There were no noises with only the vague scent of Jasmine incense that was burning, filling his nose. It was all around him and he revelled in it, the fragrance being a truly relaxing one.

In his mind, the blank picture shifted and he was looking at the dusty planes of Africa; the sparse amount of umbrella thorns and baobabs littered within the withered and dry looking grass which swayed only slightly.

He felt warmth wash over him and spread, tingling the edges of his calm mind.

Animals lazily padded across the earth, surrounding the local watering hole. Lions, monkeys, giraffes, hippos and some zebras. Such a strange scene; all of them around one another in peace and harmony.

The colours that blurred before him were yellows and oranges, hazy colours that just whispered heat.

Then, without warning, he noticed a jet black little bird soaring overhead in circles. It dipped and stooped before perching on the nose of a cheetah that sat patiently with its tail flicking ever so slightly.

It was a Raven. Small and feathered but he knew the type. How could he  _not_  know it?

He grinned to himself and the scene began to fall away, fading and crumbling as his concentration was broken by a single thought.

Beast Boy opened his eyes and glanced to his right, seeing that Raven herself had finished her meditation session and was sitting on her mattress staring back at him with an eyebrow quirked.

"Hey," He murmured, placing his palms flat behind him to lean on,

Raven offered him a small, appreciative smile, "You're getting better. You held your concentration much longer that time."

He wriggled his eyebrows cheekily at her, "I have a great teacher."

The empath rolled her eyes but smiled nonetheless, "Did you find a stable centre? Something to focus your energies on?"

Beast Boy nodded timidly.

Raven watched him, her dark eyes affectionate as she wondered, "Is it still Africa?"

He smiled a little, "Yeah... it is."

She mirrored his smile, "Good. Something close to your heart and something personal; familiar is the best choice to hone in on during meditation."

"What's yours?"

Raven shrugged ever so slightly, "Azarath... and Arella."

Beast Boy smirked and tilted his head, "You know, the common phrase is, 'mom' or if you're feeling sentimental, 'mommy'."

Giving him a look, Raven got up from her bed and crossed her room to where the jasmine incense was still burning.

"Did you want to try again? How are you feeling?"

He shrugged, wandering over and slumping back on her bed, "Nah, I'm feeling pretty Zen like right now.

Raven snorted and folded her arms over her chest, walking back to stand before him, "That's a first,"

Beast Boy stuck his tongue out before taking one of her hands, "I feel very relaxed. In fact..."

Tugging her forward, Beast Boy sat up to capture her lips with his own. Raven stiffened at first before she relaxed and allowed him to take her other hand. She subconsciously moved down onto the bed with him.

Kissing Beast Boy filled her with so many feelings all at once. It was overwhelming to say the least and whilst her heart rate accelerated in excitement; fear was also there.

His hands slid away from hers; one cupping her cheek and the other resting against her waist. Beast Boy laid back, pulling Raven atop of him, her cheeks aflame.

Raven opened her eyes, shifting them back and forth the more wary she grew. She stared at him even though his forest eyes remained closed. She willed herself to keep going, to give him the affection and attention he deserved and apparently wanted. Some part of her wanted it too but it was outweighed by her stubborn determination to prove herself wrong.

But, when he shifted and slipped an arm around her back to pull her even closer, she felt herself losing her grip. She pressed her mouth to his even harder, trying to keep the physical display intact.

Raven felt her heart racing, nerves bundling inside of her and not in the good, excited kind of way. This was no case of butterflies; this was fear and dread settling in her stomach.

She squeezed her eyes shut at the same time a bunch of books rocketed off of her shelves, pages ripping and flying out from within the covers. One of her gargoyle type statues flew from her desk, smashing against the ground and there was a loud crack that sounded from her mirror.

Beast Boy pulled back in surprise at the same time Raven tore herself away from him, scurrying backwards on her bed and wrapping herself up in her cloak, attempting to make herself smaller.

"Rae?" Beast Boy asked, bewildered and a little breathless,

Raven clutched her arms, hugging herself as her insecurities unfolded, "I-I'm sorry."

He attentively reached a hand out to caress her cheek, "Raven? What's wrong? What was that?"

Raven pulled away from him completely, turning her head and getting up. She moved until she stood by her window, "I can't do this."

His heart hammered in his chest, "Can't do what?"

She half turned back to him, gesturing between them with a hand, "This... us... I can't do it."

Beast Boy's eyes widened, "But-"

Raven faced him, her eyes wide with panic and with tears welling; tears that she refused to let fall no matter what.

"Garfield..." She murmured, him shutting up immediately at the sound of his name, "I- I want to be able to kiss you and play and give you the intimacy I know you need... but, I just can't."

The empath turned away then, hugging herself once more as if to protect herself from the situation at hand.

Beast Boy grinned, "You want the intimacy too. Admit it, Rae."

His tone was playful but she didn't bite. The smile melted from his face and he sighed, getting up off of her bed and coming to stand behind her, keeping a small distance between them so that she wouldn't feel cornered. He didn't want to frighten her.

It was a rarity to see Raven vulnerable or with her guard down. She had these impenetrable walls built around her to protect herself. Her emotions were dangerous; he got that and didn't want to give her any reason to feel threatened or pressured.

"Raven... you  _can_  do this. I know you can." His voice was soft,

"Please, don't... don't push me."

He frowned, "I'd never push you into anything, Raven. You know that. I said it at the start of this whole thing... we can take things as slowly as you'd like. I'm not going anywhere."

"You shouldn't have to put up with limitations because I can't control myself. I thought this would be easier... after defeating Trigon... I became free to do and feel as I please. But, nothing has changed."

He touched her shoulder; just a little gesture to comfort her, "That's not true, Rae. You've come a long way since you kicked your demon dad to the curb. The fact you were even open to the idea of starting anything between us proves that... I'm still a little in shock... maybe I have a concussion."

Raven gave him a tiny breath of a laugh, "You're an idiot."

"Most definitely but I'm  _your_  idiot. Raven... I don't expect anything from you. I know your emotions are dangerous and I know controlling them is something you're still trying to master."

Beast Boy gently took her shoulders and turned her around so their eyes could meet.

"I'm not saying I don't want to be close to you in the way most couples are. The kisses, the touches... I  _do_  want those things."

She sighed, "I do too."

He smiled briefly, "Then at least that's a start. We'll make our own way to that point. We don't have to rush."

"That's hardly fair to you."

Beast Boy rolled his eyes playfully and stepped forward, his arms coming around to hold her, "Will you stop? I'm cool with going slow if it means you feel better about us."

Raven gazed at him for a moment before exhaling, "Thank you."

He pressed his cheek to hers and nuzzled for a moment, "No problem, babe."

The silence that followed was comfortable and Raven felt herself match the mood. She simmered and so did her powers. It was something she had already set herself the goal of overcoming, even if it took some time. Knowing Beast Boy understood was music to her ears. She needed that reassurance more than she thought.

"Ha!" Beast Boy crowed,

"What?"

"I just called you a pet name and you didn't try to sacrifice me to the netherworld! Wahoo!"

Raven lightly shoved him away and pulled her hood up, smiling as she did so, "Come on, you sap."

Beast Boy chuckled and bounded after her as they left her room, "Feel like going to your cafe today? It's pretty nice outside."

Raven glanced at him, "But you hate that place."

He shrugged, "It's growing on me since they added tofu to their menu."

She slipped her hand within his, "That sounds... really nice."

Beast Boy smacked a kiss to her cheek, grinning as they walked through the hallway.

The clacking of the keyboard was something he had grown used to after spending so many evenings cooped up in his office, chasing leads and completing reports. And yet, he still managed to develop throbbing headaches that made him want to scream.

He groaned as he kept typing. He wasn't sure if it was the constant tapping of the keys or if it was the dim light within his office. There was no lamp; only the dim light from the computer screen which spilled over the walls.

Robin grunted and sat back, scrubbing a hand over his face. He felt tired from staring at the screen for the last few hours and receiving nothing back for it. His mind was ticking over from all the fleeting thoughts.

Slade's stints were causing a conundrum in his head. Robin felt so confused and like he was missing something pretty big in connection with his worst enemy.

For once, there seemed to be no outright plan; nothing concrete suggesting that Slade was up to anything, even though he hinted that he was. Before, Robin always had something to go on even if it was just a gut feeling but it didn't feel the same this time.

It was frustrating to say the least.

So far, since learning of his return and that he was still very much alive and kicking, Robin had had nothing to bank on. All Slade had done was cause some havoc and destruction by using Plasmus and Cinderblock. He'd sent them a cryptic hologram to announce he was back to torment them and he'd been the one to release all of their foes at the Brotherhood of Evil's former base.

Robin's knee shook. What did he want? Money? Destruction?

It didn't make any sense.

Never had the boy wonder met such a confusing criminal. Well, unless you count the Joker that is.

Slade had always lacked a specific goal in his misdeeds. He wanted control and to destroy the Titans but that was pretty much it. He had no vendetta to avenge, no big message he wanted to get across.

It was completely mindboggling sometimes.

Robin sighed and ran a hand through his dishevelled hair. There was no common pattern to his actions. All of his crimes had been simple and petty and very small on the scale in comparison to his usual behaviour.

It just wasn't his style.

Slade was a madman who enjoyed revelling in disaster. He usually stole pricey tech for schemes he hatched or he just went all out and surprised them all with giant threats and destruction that wiped out half the city and its population just for his own sick pleasure.

Robin felt like he was playing a waiting game. He felt like he was on edge, waiting for the moment Slade would appear and cause catastrophe but... that moment hadn't come whereas usually it would have already been carried out and foiled.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Robin growled.

He became heavily aware of someone standing beside him. Flicking his eyes to the right, he was greeted by slender fingers placing a mug down on his desk.

Robin turned, watching as Starfire pulled her hands away. He sniffed the air and felt his insides warm at the prospect of fresh, rich coffee. His skin tingled just from the scent of it and he briefly wondered if he had a caffeine problem.

He tilted his head up to see his Princess smiling sweetly down at him and as if on instinct, he slipped his mask from his face.

His hands wrapped themselves around the mug and he inhaled his drink,

"Thanks, Star... you have no idea how much I need this."

"I welcome you," She paused and clasped her hands behind her back, scanning the screens in front of him, "You have been in here for quite some time. I believed you would be in need of refreshment."

Robin took a big gulp of coffee, letting the stuff trickle down his throat and settle in his stomach, "Mmm... it's perfect."

Starfire giggled, her eyes focusing on the screens again, "Have you found any of the leads?"

He shivered from the burst of caffeine and the start of his recharge but sighed loudly anyway. Robin leaned back and patted his lap, signalling for her to sit.

Starfire pushed some hair behind her ear and carefully floated down until she was comfortable, leaning her head in the crook of his neck.

Her emerald eyes scanned the stacks of paperwork on the desk, showing sincere interest in his progress with locating Slade or at least getting closer to figuring out what it was he wanted.

She was actually very proud of her  _Otu N'anya_  for the way he had been handling Slade's return. Sure, at first he was wary and defensive but that was inevitable. Slade was and would forever be a sore area for Robin. There was torment there that run deeper than the others could understand.

However, she had to applaud him for how relaxed he was in searching for Slade. He was by no means lacking or being lazy; he was simply not working himself into an obsession like he used to. Had it been several years prior, she would not still be in his room as he worked on the case.

Since the days where he grew obsessed with Slade, he'd changed for the better. He would ask their opinions and involve them all in the case to update them, rather than trying to do it all by himself.

Robin smiled as one hand rested on her knee and the other stroked her back, content with just having her snuggled against him like she was.

"Nothing groundbreaking... It just doesn't make sense, Star. Slade comes back after everything with Trigon only to... release a few criminals and cause some destruction in the city via Plasmus and Cinderblock? It just doesn't fit his usual scheming."

Starfire nodded, showing she was listening intently,

"His holographic message... I mean, he flat out said he's planning something but there is absolutely  _nothing_  pointing to suggest he's doing anything at all."

"Perhaps that is exactly his plan."

Robin's eyebrows knitted together, "What do you mean?"

She absently drummed her fingertips against his chest, "Perhaps, his objective is merely to remind us that he is not gone; that he is still out there and still allegedly poses a threat to us. He may have briefly aided us during Trigon's reign but he still holds hatred for us." Starfire tapped her chin, "I believe he may simply be doing the 'scare tactics' to frighten us and put us on edge."

Robin blinked before he squeezed her waist, "Hey, that's... not a bad idea. But, what's the point of scaring us if has nothing to follow it through with? Why give us empty threats?"

Starfire gave Robin a knowing look, "Robin, Slade is an insane criminal. I will not presume to understand the reasons behind his actions. We would be here for an eternity."

He smirked and rubbed the small of her back in circles, drawing a deep purr out of her as she arched her back to meet the pressure of his fingertips.

"That's true. Still... good thinking. Maybe... maybe he is just messing with us to get in our heads or... my head anyway. I wouldn't put it past Slade to do mind tricks just for the sake of it."

"What  _are_  you doing in case he  _is_  planning something?" Starfire said, raising an eyebrow,

Robin chuckled, "How do you know I'm doing anything?"

Starfire smirked, "You are you. Of course you still have plans in order in case his threats are real."

"You know me too well, Star."

"It is my job as your best friend and girlfriend."

Robin smiled, "I've set up sensors around the perimeter of the city and popular locations where he'd most likely target. They'll be triggered and I'll get an alert if he goes anywhere near them or if any activity in connection to him appears on the radar. So, strictly speaking, he won't be able to do anything in the city without me knowing about it first."

Starfire nodded, "That sounds like a very good idea to have in place."

He pecked her cheek, "Glad you think so." Robin tapped her knee, "Now, enough about Slade. What've you been up to today?"

She beamed at his thoughtfulness and mentally approved of his growth. During his more obsessed days, he would never have asked her about her day. She supposed he had grown up a lot since then. After all, he was 20 now. She shouldn't have been so surprised.

"Well, this morning after training, I participated in meditation with Raven. Then, I aided Cyborg in applying technical updates and modifications to his 'baby'. Most recently, I was creating milkshakes with Beast Boy until he and Raven went to meditate together."

Robin bobbed his head, showing acknowledgement, "Sounds like a fun day."

"It was wonderful."

He rubbed a hand up and down her shin. He loved it when she went around the tower without her boots, "How does Beast Boy seem?"

"You are asking in reference to his problem several months ago?"

Robin nodded,

"He seems very much like himself again. He is jokey and very positive and upbeat. It is good to see him as himself again."

Her leader exhaled, "Good."

Starfire hesitated, biting on her bottom lip, "Robin?"

"Mhm?"

"What would happen if Beast Boy's morphing genetics were to fall apart even further than they already have?"

There was a telltale waver to her voice and he glanced up at her, his eyes compassionate, "It won't. We're monitoring him closely now. You know that."

Her lip quivered slightly and he saw tears gathering in her eyes, "I- I do not wish to lose a member of our family, Robin."

Robin reached up to cup her cheek, "Hey, no, Star... shh... it's okay."

She sniffled, "But-"

"Baby, nothing's gonna happen to him. With this new and improved antidote we're having him take periodically, things should straighten out for him again. Everyone has setbacks with their powers, you said it yourself but it'll be alright."

Starfire wiped her face and gave him a small, positive smile, "Apologies... I just-"

Robin smiled softly and kissed her arm, just under her metal band, "Don't apologise. We're all worried about what could happen to him in the long run but we just have to focus on how to prevent it."

She beamed at him and nodded, feeling thoroughly reassured. He cupped her face and kissed her lips before pulling away to look at the clock and place his mask back over his eyes, "You hungry? We could go for a late lunch up on the roof if you want to?"

"That sounds glorious!" She chirped, hopping off of his lap,

Robin watched her as she stood up. He had never been more thankful for a mask than at that moment. This way he could watch the curve of her spine, her gorgeous waist, the way her hips swayed and he couldn't deny that her rear was deliciously plump in the best way.

It was getting harder and harder to pull away from their intimate sessions recently.

He blinked as he suddenly realised Starfire was waving a hand in front of his face,

"Huh?" Robin blurted,

"You seemed to be the 'spaced out'."

"O-Oh... my bad."

Starfire laced their fingers together as they exited his room and headed for the common room, "Please, what were you thinking about?"

Nope. No way was he going to admit what he was truly thinking about. That would be  _way_  too embarrassing.

"Uh... I... just the Slade case, is all."

Starfire raised an eyebrow, confused as his body language did  _not_  seem to suggest that he was thinking about the Slade case in the slightest. She shrugged and smiled, deciding to let it go.

As they approached the common room, Starfire wondered about their choice of lunch. The doors slid open with an audible whoosh.

"What sandwiches should we- Oh!" Starfire eeped,

The two were completely unprepared and thrown off guard by the scene before them.

Cyborg and Bumblebee leapt away from each other after sharing what looked like a very heated kiss. Their faces were as red as they could get and the two looked extremely uncomfortable at being sprung as they had.

Bumblebee stared up at the ceiling whilst Cyborg cleared his throat several times.

Starfire giggled, "Forgive us, friends... we did not mean to interrupt-"

Cyborg coughed, "You didn't! I mean... um... it... nothing was-"

Robin raised an eyebrow, the smirk already on his face. He suddenly sensed a golden opportunity to mess with his friend. It was only fair considering how much teasing he and Starfire had had to endure and some of that was even  _before_  they officially began dating.

"Oh,  _reaaally_?" Robin paused and tapped his lip, "Nothing, huh? Might wanna tell that to the mocha shade on your lips, Cy."

Cyborg's human eye widened considerably as Bumblebee chewed on her bottom lip, thoroughly mortified. The cybernetic teen scrubbed at his mouth and avoided eye contact with the girl sitting opposite him. Could things be any more awkward?

Starfire shook her head and tugged on Robin's arm, pulling him into the kitchen with her, all the while with him chuckling to himself.

Once they were in the kitchen, Starfire turned and lightly bopped her boyfriend on the nose, "Do not make with the fun,  _Otu N'anya_. It is not nice."

Robin pouted playfully, "But Staaar... he does it to us all the time."

Starfire laughed in disbelief, planting her hands on her hips, "I was led to believe you were above the teasing."

He grinned, "What gave you that idea?"

The alien beauty rolled her eyes and turned away to prepare their food, digging around in the fridge and cupboards. Robin took the moment to glance over his shoulder with a wicked smirk,

"Don't worry, guys... we're just grabbing some food and then you can go back to doing..." He paused to curl his index and middle finger into air quotations, "Nothing."

Starfire's tone, while still light had a warning edge, "Robin."

He just laughed, "Seriously, why is Beast Boy missing this perfect moment?"

His Princess smiled softly as she buttered some bread, knowing his jabs were all in good nature and not in a malicious sense.

"Stop, oh so serious leader of ours."

Robin gently poked her in the ribs, "Since when did you start using sarcasm?"

"You underestimate how much time I spend with friend Raven."

Robin grinned as he moved about, grabbing a soda for himself from the fridge and a bottle of mustard from the cupboard for Starfire, making sure to add a neon pink bendy straw. Just how she liked it.

Starfire hummed quietly to herself as she placed their now cut up sandwiches into a small plastic Tupperware container before grabbing a bag of sweet popcorn for them to munch on too.

"We are ready?"

"Think so."

Starfire nodded and floated back through the room, waiting by the common room doors for her beloved who was making the most of teasing Cyborg.

Robin looked over at his friend, "Alright, if you guys need us, we'll be on the roof... not that you will of course-" he snickered,

A couch cushion suddenly thumped the wall beside Robin's head,

"Yo! Will you just get out of here already!? You spiky haired dork!" Cyborg called, nervously,

The boy wonder burst out laughing, only to have Starfire tug on his cape and pull him out of the room, " _Robin_." She murmured,

As Starfire took a step toward the common room doors, she paused and glanced over her shoulder at Cyborg and Bumblebee. Her smile was affectionate and excited rolled into one.

"I am very happy for you, my friends." She told them, her voice warm,

The doors shut behind her, leaving Cyborg and Bumblebee to anxiously smile at each other, feeling the fluttering of feelings in their stomachs. It was a peculiar sensation but Cyborg found he was quickly learning to like it.


	22. Chapter 22

Robin laughed, took a bite out of his sandwich and let his legs hang over the side of the tower. His arm brushed against Starfire's as his shoulders shook with mirth. She, on the other hand, didn't find as much humour in his teasing.

Starfire folded her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes, "That was not very leader-like."

He shrugged, still chewing, "Nope. That was good natured teasing."

A sigh, "I hope you did not make them feel too self-conscious."

His blue eyes flickered to watch her for a moment, mask lying beside him, "Oh come  _on_ , Star. You know them two can tease just as much; more actually."

Starfire looked out across the ocean, "That does not make it right, Robin."

His brow creased as he stared at her before he exhaled, suddenly feeling ashamed of his jabs at their friends, "If you're mad at me, I can go and-"

Her fingers touched his cheek and she offered him a small smile, "Not mad,  _Otu N'anya._  I understand the teasing and also realise it is what friends do but... perhaps you will refrain whilst they are only just starting their relationship?"

Robin realised then what she meant. She didn't want him or Beast Boy poking fun at the newest Titan couple to the point it would backfire and it would make them feel uncomfortable or awkward in their newfound status with one another. Cyborg and Bumblebee had been friends for just as long as the rest of them had and they would be finding their feet as a couple at the moment. They would be learning the boundaries between going from friendship to romance. Just as they all had.

"It may seem I am overreacting, given Cyborg teased us for a long time before we even became a couple... but perhaps... we could not push something that is only just beginning between them. I believe they are only just trying to figure it out between them... hence their embarrassment at being caught by us."

He nodded slowly, a smiling spreading across his face, "I get what you're saying... I'll be good."

Starfire beamed, leaning in to kiss him, "Thank you. I do not believe the same can be promised by Beast Boy when he learns they are dating."

Robin chuckled, "Not a chance... you have to admit, it was pretty funny though."

She giggled, lifting her fingers to her lips, "Indeed. It was most humorous. I believe my next 'girl talk' with Bumblebee shall be quite interesting."

Smirking, Robin threw a few pieces of popcorn up and caught them in his mouth. He glanced out at the horizon. The sky was still, cloudless with a frigid bite, regardless of the sun providing warmth.

The icy breeze made Robin shiver, just a little. He wasn't a fan of the cold but he'd built up a somewhat immunity to freezing temperatures throughout his lifetime. Gotham had braced him for cold weather in any other city, considering it was along the sub-zero level most of the year. It was a bleak place; grey skies and rain mixed with chilly temperatures.

Even in mid-winter, Jump was his preferred location.

He tightened the blanket around his shoulders, given to him rather forcibly by a concerned Starfire. She always fretted when they were out in cold weather. Starfire's alien physiology allowed her to be immune whereas Robin being human worried her to a great extent.

Robin couldn't complain though; winter nights cuddled up to her were the cosiest he'd ever experienced. Her skin burned like a furnace as her normal temperature was a lot higher than the rest of theirs.

"Are you cold?" Starfire asked, tugging at the blanket to make sure it was around him properly.

He smiled and patted her hands, "I'm fine, Star. Promise."

Starfire bit her lip but nodded and sat back, picking up her mustard to take a swig. Robin smiled, a warmth settling inside of him at how much she fussed over his wellbeing.

"You know, I'm really happy for them. Especially Cyborg."

"I too, am happy for our friends. I believe it is as Cyborg said when we kissed in Tokyo... it is about time."

Robin snorted, "Completely. Those two have been flirty for years. I'm actually surprised it took him this long to..."

Starfire raised an eyebrow, smirking at what he was about to say. He blinked, his cheeks turning pink. He waved his hand and chuckled sheepishly,

"Alright but, in my defence... I'm a lot worse with emotions than Cy.  _That_  is the reason we didn't get together years ago... well, that and Batman's 'no dating a teammate' rule." He rolled his eyes on the last part and Starfire smiled,

"I thought you indeed did the dating of a teammate before me?"

Robin was confused, "No?"

"Batgirl?"

He felt himself blush and instinctively rubbed the back of his neck, "How did-"

Starfire shrugged, taking a sip of mustard, "You mentioned her numerous times back when we first became a team... I always assumed you had previously been involved."

Robin laughed, "Well, no... we didn't. I mean... I had a crush on her but she was a little older than me. I was 12 and she was 14. She knew I liked her but didn't want to encourage me. She was too concerned about my age. We decided being friends was the better option."

She fiddled with the hem of her skirt, seemingly wanting to ask more questions but being uncertain of learning the answers.

Slowly nodding, Starfire continued, "So, you have not done the dating of anyone beforehand?"

Robin scoffed, "If I had, do you think I would have been such a dork about asking you out?"

Starfire gave a half hearted laugh, "I suppose not."

He watched her. Her posture shifted into a self-conscious one. He wished he knew what was going through her head as she stared at her lap,

"... Something else on your mind there?"

Starfire tilted her head, refusing to meet his stare, "Do you... still hold feelings for-"

He laughed; he couldn't help it, "No, I don't. That was... a short lived crush, Star. Believe me, we work better as friends. Besides, I haven't seen or spoken to her for a couple years now."

"That is because your last visit to Gotham was a long time ago."

"Yeah? So?"

She glanced up at the sky, " _So_... if you were to see her again..."

He took her hand and pulled her a little, coaxing her to look at him, which she still refused to do.

"Starfire... she was the first friend I really ever made. She was the  _only_  friend I had growing up in Gotham. It was... kinda inevitable I'd get a crush on her." He paused and smiled, "And that was before I met you."

She shrugged, feigning indifference and pulled her hand away from him, "Then, how do you know what you feel for me is not just the crush? How do you know it is as you claim, love?"

He was surprised by her response. It wasn't often Starfire let her walls fall down to show her insecurities; so finely hidden by her bubbly personality. Alarm bells were ringing, urging him not to continue talking about past crushes or relationships. He usually strived to avoid the topic because of exactly this. No matter how long ago, it would always be an awkward subject to broach. Not to mention, Robin didn't particularly want to think about, let alone hear about Starfire's past suitors, princes or soldiers.

As a Princess, he had always presumed she had a number of past relationships to compare him to so he'd never asked her about it. Maybe he should, if they were crossing into that territory.

Robin sighed and tried again, grabbing her hand, "Star, look at me."

It took a moment before she meekly obeyed his request. Her eyes had a dullness now, like she feared whatever he was going to say next. It was odd. Her jealousy had previously been much more obvious and explosive, especially when it was Kitten trying to bag him as a beau. She'd almost clawed the bratty girl's eyes out at prom.

He wondered if it was because Batgirl had been a friend of his by choice and it hadn't been something forced, so she was refraining from acting that way. He couldn't understand her uncertainty though. Did she not understand how smitten he was with her?

"Starfire..." He didn't know what to say, shocked by how quickly the conversation had spiralled,

She looked at him with a timid expression, "It is not an unreasonable thing to question..." She told him in a small voice,

Robin cleared his throat, "Star... the difference is, Batgirl... she was the only person I had besides Bruce who, to say the least, is a stoic kind of man. He couldn't interact with me socially like I could with her. She was the only friend I had in the world. Yeah, we were close and odds are, we'd pick up on that friendship even after not seeing each other for years. But, I liked her when I was 12 years old. I hadn't really had much experience in that area. I was a kid and she just happened to be the first girl I had a crush on."

Starfire bobbed her head, looking like she wished to be anywhere but there, having this conversation. But, Robin decided, she was the one who wanted to know.

"After we decided to stay friends, I was in the midst of leaving Gotham which I knew hurt her because we were so close. But by that stage, it had completely fizzled out. I care about her in the way I care about Raven. She's like a sister to me now." He smiled fondly, "Then... the very night I got to Jump, I met  _you_. And trust me when I say, I was pretty much a goner from the minute you kicked that car at my head. Not to mention, you kinda sealed my feelings for you with that kiss that was  _not_  a kiss."

Starfire blushed and smiled a tiny smile, "But-"

"When I first met you and we became friends, I had a crush on you. But, that crush never went away with you. I've been in love with you for years, Star. I just... didn't totally realise it until recently. I'm 20 years old now. I know the difference between a crush and something more."

She bit her lip, peeking at him with those gorgeous green eyes of hers, "Truly?"

Robin nodded and gave her a gentle smile, before kissing her forehead, "Mhm. I don't let people very close, Star. But you? I hold you the closest by far."

Starfire beamed and leaned against him, her forehead resting against his, the tender moment needed to solidify the reassurance. She frowned, looking a little embarrassed.

"I... am sorry for being so... um..." She struggled and Robin found it pretty adorable as she scrunched up her nose in thought, looking like a bunny.

"Don't be. You have a valid point. It's something we've never really covered before and it makes sense one of us would ask."

Starfire timidly smiled, nodding her head. Robin sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, looking anywhere but in her direction,

"So..."

"Yes?"

"Any ex-boyfriends or far away crushes, I should know about?"

She giggled and shook her head at him,

His eyebrows shot to his hairline, "Seriously?"

"You seem surprised."

"Well... I am," He blurted, shrugging, "I mean, aside from being a Princess... you're absolutely gorgeous. There's no one who wouldn't want you."

Starfire smiled one of her big, bashful Starfire smiles and there was a fluttering in his stomach. She brushed some of her long hair behind her ear and elaborated,

"I... had many suitors in waiting for my hand but I was not yet of age... I would have been expected to wed on my arrival home from combat training on Okaara." She sniffed the air, "Not that any of them appealed to me."

"Psh, c'mon... I bet there were a couple you were swooning over."

Starfire considered but tilted her head, "Not particularly. They lacked substance."

"Substance?"

"They were all power, no personality. I would never want a boring husband."

Robin smiled, "Good to know."

"Besides, things on my world are very different to here. My people often have arranged marriages, especially those of Royal status. It furthers the status and rank of the individual. Tamaran's main priority for arranged marriages is to ensure a strong lineage. Strength is key." Starfire glanced at her lap, "My parents too had the arranged marriage. As they were both of noble Royal houses, they were matched to rule and create a strong family name together."

He grew concerned, "So... when Blackfire forced you back to marry... that could really happen? For real?"

"Only as the last resort or if something truly unfortunate happened and I had to retake the throne. With Galfore as Grand Ruler, however, it is unlikely. He would never allow such a thing to happen to me if he has the ability to stop it. He is also very aware of the fact that you and I are currently dating."

Robin breathed a sigh of relief,

Starfire gave him a warm smile, "You need not worry, Robin. I will not be taken from you."

"Good." He punctuated with a boyish grin, "So..."

"Hm?"

"I'm your first crush?"

Starfire smiled knowingly at him, "Indeed."

"And your first love?"

She slipped into a grin, "You are."

Robin looked smug, placing his hands out behind him to lean back on, "Sweet."

Rolling her eyes, Starfire muttered, "You are filled with much bravado."

"It's a guy thing."

"Apparently."

"Another reason I'm glad Cyborg and Bumblebee have gotten together actually. Guys are supposed to feel superior with a girl on their arm but I just felt kinda guilty. I'd be with you and Beast Boy would be with Raven. I couldn't help but think how lonely he must've been."

Starfire smiled, "Not anymore, it would seem."

"True-" Robin trailed off and lifted an eyebrow as her eyes sparkled with excitement, "What?"

"Nothing." Starfire replied, her tone as innocent as she could get it,

"Have you just had an idea? You have, haven't you?"

Starfire bit her bottom lip to smother her smile and picked herself up, shifting to sit on her knees at his side. She clasped her hands together and gave him a pleading expression,

"We should ask our friends if they would like to participate within a triple date!" She chirped, bubbly and excited all in one,

Robin slapped a hand to his forehead, "Oh,  _God_... please don't make me do that."

"Why not?"

He made a face, scratching his neck, "Because, Star... it'd be awkward as hell."

Starfire leaned forward, clasping her hands together with a pleading expression etched on her face.

"Oh, pleaseee, Robin?"

Robin struggled for a moment but looked away, folding his arms over his chest,

"Not gonna work." He told her, a touch of smugness.

Faltering, she reconsidered her approach and tried again. She pouted her lips a little more, careful to apply just enough 'sexy' to the action. She clasped her hands together, using her upper arms to push her breasts together, giving him an eyeful of her cleavage.

"Oh, the  _pretty please_ , Robin?" She purred, smiling as he flushed brightly,

His resolve crumbled, as it usually did when Starfire was involved. All he wanted to do in that moment was give her anything she wanted, along with grabbing her chin and bring her into a searing kiss. Robin  _so_  wanted to do that but she wanted an answer from him,

"I... uh... maybe... I'll think about it..." He stammered, his eyes solely focused on those cupid bow lips of hers.

Starfire smirked, leaning in to quickly peck his lips. It was too chaste and too quick for Robin's liking.

"Perfect." She commented, leaning back on her heels,

He narrowed his eyes, "Minx."

Blinking, she feigned innocence, "I assure you, I do not know what you mean."

" _Suuure_  you don't. I'm onto you, Princess."

Starfire giggled, hiccupping as Robin reached out to touch her chin and bring her in for that kiss he so desired. She came willingly and smiled as soon as their lips met. Robin shifted his hands, cupping her face to deepen his ministrations. She moaned as his tongue ran against her bottom lip before she allowed him access.

His zealous took Starfire by surprise. One hand left her face and travelled down her neck, over her should and waist to rest on her ass, which he promptly squeezed. She laughed against his mouth, her arms coming around his shoulders, bringing them closer together.

Tugging, he coaxed her into his lap so she was straddling him. He always loved this positioning because it gave him so much more access to her body. He could touch her everywhere, sitting like this.

Starfire ran her hands over the planes of his chest, feeling the defined muscles through his shirt. Robin wasn't quite as scrawny as he used to be. He'd begun filling out nicely and she briefly wondered how good he would look in his Nightwing outfit that he would eventually adopt. The topic had been more frequent in their conversations and Starfire could tell he was eager to progress with the new identity. But, timing was key. Batman had some things in place and it was down to him when Robin could be passed on to another. Despite how much that irritated her boy wonder.

But, for now, she was content to visualise how wonderful he would look in a dark outfit like the one she'd seen in the future.  _Mhm._

Her fingers found his dark hair and she pulled him closer, effectively fusing their lips together in order to deepen their affection. Robin smiled, tugging his gloves off to feel her bare skin beneath his wandering fingers.

A sudden thought struck him, however.

Robin pulled back sharply, his eyes wide, "Star... maybe we... shouldn't do this. Here; on the roof."

Starfire huffed a breath and flipped some of her hair over her shoulder, "It is okay... I locked the door on our way up... after your teasing of Cyborg, I assumed... it would not be unreasonable... that he would seek payback."

He chuckled, "My smart girl."

She giggled but was cut off as Robin captured her lips with his once more. It was a heated frenzy, passion burning within both of them and spreading back and forth like wildfire. So, this was what it was like to be hyped up on young love; that fluttering in the stomach alongside desperation to gain closeness with the other person. It was unfathomable and downright inevitable.

It couldn't compare to any other feeling.

Starfire's breath fanned his face as she whispered, " _Robin_..."

He felt a jolt of electricity run through him at the tone of her voice; it was filled with want and love and desire. He'd never heard her voice like that before and it took every fibre of his being not to lose his damn mind.

By now, they were both pretty aware of Robin's growing problem that always tended to arise during these make out sessions. Starfire lifted away from his lap slightly as to not deliberately make it worse. She knew it was difficult for him to control that sort of thing and since they hadn't talked about taking that particular step any time soon, she didn't want to give the wrong impression.

Robin tilted his head, crushing her lips beneath his own. One hand was lost in the masses of red hair as he cupped the back of her head. His other hand trailed up the curve of her waist and stopped just below her breast, gripping her ribs.

He was itching to go that bit higher but he was always hesitant. Starfire had told him numerous times, since he had already been allowed to touch her there before, it was okay. But, ever the gentleman and someone who deeply respected her, he always sought permission.

Starfire giggled and pulled back, pecking his lips once before unlocking her neck guard and tossing it aside. She slipped her fingers beneath the hem of her shirt and pulled it up and over her head, giving her a deliciously dishevelled appearance.

Robin swallowed as he was presented with the sight before him. He was yet to find something about her that was anything less than perfect. Her chest was right there, perky and the perfect size. Not too big and not too small. She was contained in this gorgeous, lacy lavender bra with a tiny black bow in between both breasts.

"Do you know how perfect you are?" He whispered, hands running up and down her back,

She snorted, "Perfect is something I am not, Robin."

"I beg to differ." He muttered, kissing her neck,

Shaking her head, Starfire reached back to unhook the clasp of her bra. It fluttered to the ground and she took great amusement in the way Robin watched her. He was timid but it was outweighed by his interest.

Robin inhaled a breath at the view that was topless Starfire. He had seen her like this on more than one occasion in the recent months of their relationship. They'd gotten more intimate the more time went on; exploring each other and pushing their boundaries a little each time. They'd done nothing below the belt so far but they were both content with bare chested play.

He wasted no time though, his hands shot up so that he could play and tease her. One for each hand, he set about squeezing and kneading her skin, all the while Starfire hummed her approval.

She pawed at his cape, wanting him without a shirt as well.

"It is your turn." She murmured, smiling daringly at him whilst she unclasped his cape and let it fall behind him,

Robin chuckled, leaning up to kiss her lips once before she sat back and tugged his shirt from his belt and yanked it over his head. He smirked at her,

"A little eager there, aren't we?"

She made a teasing face, "If I am to be shirtless, it is only fair you are as well. And, just as you admire my chest... I truly appreciate yours."

"Oh? Is that right?"

"Mhm."

Starfire's eyes alighted on his bare chest and for a fleeting moment, she worried about the amount of exposed skin. She glanced around for the blanket, making a grab for it, only to be stalled by her boyfriend himself.

"No blanket. I'm fine."

"But you-"

He kissed her fingers, "I'm fine, Star. Besides, with your hands touching me, I'll warm up in no time."

She looked hesitant, chewing on her lip, "I really think-"

"No blanket." He said firmly, punctuating his point with a hard kiss.

She made a muffled sound and Robin waited until she relaxed beneath his hands to proceed. Slowly, Starfire placed her hands on his shoulders, trailing her fingertips down and over his torso. The muscles were defined and Starfire found great pleasure in running her hands over him.

Something she often eyed up about Robin was the scars littered across his body. On her world, scars were a great show of strength. The more scars or the more distinguished a scar meant more of a warrior. To have a vast amount of scarring on her world meant a person was greatly respected and highly thought of on the battlefield.

Part of the reason her dear  _k'norfka_  had been selected to guide and protect her through her childhood was because of his strength and skill in battle. The scar across his eye that partially stole his sight was something honoured on Tamaran.

Scars were proof that you have been victorious in war and seeing them on Robin tended to bring out Starfire's warrior mindset. She appreciated a man of strength and skill and that described Robin rather accurately.

Most of his scars, as he had told her, were from battles and missions during his time with Batman.

She broke off their kiss to let her eyes wander over him and Robin found himself feeling rather smug, "You okay there, Star?"

"Very." She told him, her eyes twinkling with mischief. She giggled nervously as she stared at him for a long moment.

"Care to share?"

"You have... a very admirable physique, Robin... and... well..."

"And?"

She ran her fingertip over one scar in particular; one that ran alongside his ribs. A knife wound from Two-Face as he mentioned a while ago.

"Your scars... they are impressive."

He watched her for a moment, "You like scars, don't you? This isn't the first time you've been a little dreamy eyed over them."

Starfire blushed, "On my world, scars are celebrated. They are seen as proof that you have been victorious in battle. They are greatly respected and makes for a stronger and more intimidating warrior."

A small smirk found its way onto Robin's face, "Oh?"

Rolling her eyes, she playfully smacked his shoulder, "Arrogance does not make for a better warrior."

Robin laughed, "I'm kidding. But, it's nice to be appreciated."

Starfire smiled and curled her hair around her ear, ducking her head to press little kisses to his skin, giving each scar that was visible the same treatment. Robin's breath hitched. Her gestures were so innocent and sweet but her lips brushing against his skin just sent such a jolt through his body, his spine tingling.

"Starfire..." He whispered whilst she merely laughed, mischief so evident.

He lifted an eyebrow and smirked, tilting her face up towards his. He could see the mirth in her eyes and the playful atmosphere was endearing.

"Hey, two can play at that game." He murmured, nipping her ear and hoisting her so she was sitting up again.

Robin reached for her, cupping her breasts and fondling her. His breath fanned over her peaks, the moisture from his breath tantalizing her skin. Starfire squirmed and gripped his shoulders. She blushed and bowed her head slightly, grinning bashfully.

Feeling bold, Robin swallowed and leaned forward. He was taking a chance here and he wasn't sure what her reaction would be but Starfire had previously mentioned that she liked for him to be in control and sure of himself. He hoped that would come across now.

Nuzzling the small space between her breasts, he kissed her sun-kissed skin before moving over and taking one of her nipples into his mouth. He closed his eyes and prayed she enjoyed it as much as he was enjoying it. He swirled his tongue around just once before he heard her,

" _Oh_!"

Robin released her breast immediately, not wanting to overstep his boundaries. He looked up at her, his concern clear from his expression.

"Is-Is this okay?" He asked, breathing heavily. He'd never done that before. They'd seen each other topless and they had  _touched_  but never really tasted.

Starfire smiled down at him, a dreamy smile on her face, "Oh, Robin... that feels wonderful..." She whimpered, kissing his lips.

Robin felt relief flood his body. He had been worried that she'd hate it and that she'd be mad at him for trying it out of the blue like that but then he remembered. This was Starfire and she was quite open to trying new things.

He resumed his ministrations, tasting and teasing one breast with his mouth and tongue whilst the other breast was treated to some gentle kneading by his hand, the free one staying against her back.

Starfire sighed and buried her fingers in his dark locks, pressing her lips to his forehead and just staying in said position. Robin experimented, sucking and swirling and manipulating her sensitivity with his mouth. He got a little bolder, taking the bud between his teeth and giving her a soft bite.

She hissed and Robin sat back instantly, convinced he'd gone too far and outright hurt her. Breasts could be sensitive and biting was supposed to be kept extremely gentle and maybe he'd done it to hard or-

"Star, are you-"

Cutting him off with a hard kiss, Starfire pushed him onto his back, settling over him and he could feel the crumpled blanket beneath them. Her palms and forearms were flat against his torso whilst his hands clutched at her back. She was passionate and loving all in one and Robin found himself adoring it; needing more of her affection.

Her purring was getting loud by now and Robin grinned into their kiss. His cheeks were probably as red as a strawberry but god, did he love that purr of hers.

Sure, they were getting more daring and intimate and were getting a little more handsy than usual but it felt right. This was normal progression in a relationship; especially at their age. There was the stage of lust and hormones and being unable to stop themselves from touching and kissing one another. They had been together for the better part of a year now and it showed in the way they acted around one another. They were finding their places together.

And despite that, Robin wasn't stupid. He knew this wasn't leading further. He understood that actually getting to the sex part of their relationship was a still a little way to go. He was getting used to the idea and wondered about it sometimes but he still wasn't  _completely_  ready to go there. And neither was Starfire.

They spoke of it, here and there but Robin knew, if they were seriously contemplating it anytime soon, they would be having a proper conversation. They would both be certain about their decision to do it and they would talk about things seriously; considering stuff like contraception and ways to go about it.

It would  _not_  be some quick romp on the roof of the tower.

Starfire hummed a happy note as she pulled back from him, her eyes glowing with adoration. She rubbed her nose against his and smiled sweetly, "I love you, Robin."

He felt fireworks in his stomach; he'd never get tired of hearing that.

"I love you too...  _O-Otu_...  _N'anya_?" He tested, not having tried her language's declaration of love for a partner.

She beamed and her entire face lit up, "Oh! Very, very good!"

Robin felt content, scratching some patterns over her back whilst she gazed at him. It was like she was in a daze most of the time. He was so caring and attentive to her. Starfire felt very lucky to be someone's  _Otu N'anya_  as well.

Resting his forehead against hers, Robin felt serene, peaceful; like nothing could ruin the moment. Until, of course something  _had_  to ruin it.

They turned their heads at the sound of continuous beeping, sounding from Robin's communicator. It was unfamiliar to Starfire. She recognized the normal alert for trouble in the city but not this.

Robin grunted in annoyance whilst Starfire sighed and sat up. She clambered off of him and started fixing her bra back around her chest with expert fingers. Robin quirked an eyebrow as he picked up his discarded shirt.

"Doesn't it bother you?"

Starfire blinked at him, "What?"

"Being so... naked?"

She tilted her head, "I am not naked. It is merely my chest on show."

"Yeah but-"

That twinkling laugh rang out, "Robin, not that I mind sharing my naked form with you anyway... but, Tamaranians do not see issues with being naked. It is the way we were born into this world. There is nothing unnatural about it. In fact, it is quite common to be without clothing on my world."

"Is it? When we went before, everyone was clothed."

Starfire shrugged, "In the presence of royalty and around the royal palace, it is mandatory to wear battle armour in front of the royal family out of respect. However, if you were to view my people within their own homes, it would be very different."

Robin considered that as he tugged his shirt on, "Huh... interesting. So, you wear clothes on Earth because of us then?"

She laughed again, "I have tried most hard to adhere to Earthen rules during my time here. Remaining clothed in public is something Raven made quite clear to me when we first became a team... especially living with three males. She was  _most_ firm about that."

Rubbing his neck, he smirked, "Well... I suppose she had a point."

Starfire giggled as she fixed the straps of her bra over her shoulders, making sure her mounds sat properly within the cups. Robin watched her out of the corner of his eye, the smirk not leaving his face,

"Y'know... just a subtle thing here but... if you wanted to get more of those bras... well, that'd be pretty cool." He murmured,

Lifting an eyebrow, Starfire smiled and rested her hands on her hips, "Oh? Well, I have been looking at a similar set except this area," she cupped herself where her nipples were, "is made of the mesh material and the rest is lace."

Robin's eyes widened a fraction and he froze, "So... it'd be see through?"

"Mhm. It is a pretty colour also. It is green and black and has the matching underwear and stockings with tiny bows on the tops-"

He stared at her, "Next time you go shopping, throw it straight in the basket. Leader's orders. Understood?"

Starfire smiled and shook her head at his light behaviour, her fingers brushing his cheek as she pulled her top over her head again. Robin reached for his cape, snapping it back around his shoulders as he remained sitting cross-legged on the roof.

Noticing this, Starfire tilted her head, her eyebrows pinched in confusion, "Robin? Are you not getting up also?"

He coughed, more than a little embarrassed, "Oh, I... I'm just waiting for an issue to... resolve itself."

Her eyes widened as realisation struck her and she visibly cringed, "Oh... apologies. I did not realise-"

Robin waved a hand, "It's okay. It's not your faul-" He hesitated then raised an eyebrow, "Actually, yes, it very much is  _your_  fault."

Smiling, Starfire locked her neck plate securely around her throat.

"Please, what was the sound from your communicator? I am unfamiliar with it."

His eyes widened as he remembered that was what pulled them apart from one another. He scrambled to his feet, tugging the device from his belt as he stood up,

"You remember I was telling you about the sensors set up around the perimeter of the city in order to keep track of Slade's movements?"

Starfire nodded.

" _That_  sound is to alert me one has been triggered. It should let me know what he's up to and if he's doing anything he isn't..."

At the sound of him trailing off, Starfire took a step towards him, "Robin?"

He slapped his mask back over his eyes, his brows furrowing. He had his serious face back on now and he was in hero mode, trying to connect dots and figure out the little pieces of Slade's so-called plan.

"A cargo train... by the looks of the activity I'm being fed from the sensors... it looks like something's being transported..." He clenched his jaw, "the signature is picking up levels of chemicals required for explosives. High explosives, too. Damn it."

Starfire shook her head minutely, "Why would he be transporting explosives out of the city?"

Robin chewed his lip, "No, the opposite. He's transporting them in from another region. We can't let them reach him..."

"What must we do?"

He looked up at her, a plan already formed in his mind, "We'll have to infiltrate. Get inside this company that's helping him to smuggle explosives across city borders. We need to wheedle any accomplices out and interrogate them and see if they know anything about what Slade is planning."

Starfire quirked a tiny smile, "Beast Boy shall be thrilled. We have not had one of the infiltration missions in quite a while."

She noticed him still staring at the screen of his communicator; his face had shifted into a look of dismay.

"Robin? What is it?" She asked, tilting her head,

He lifted his head a fraction but still did not meet her gaze. His response was hesitant and unsure, "The cargo train that's moving them through the system... it registered at the rest stop as a travelling 'entertainment company'."

Starfire frowned, "I do not understand-"

Robin sighed and finally met her eyes.

"It's Haly's circus."


	23. Chapter 23

Maskless eyes scanned their surroundings as he stood at the door of their trailer. He'd been doing this for about an hour now; attempting to see anything out of the ordinary.

By circus standards, anyway.

They were lucky that they'd been offered a temporary home near the back of the campsite. This way, they were mostly out of sight from other performers.

He frowned, glancing around the premises.

Nothing stood out as unusual so far. Clowns were walking back from show rehearsal whilst strongmen were carrying props for their act and circus animals were being led back to their homes as well.

He could see the point of the iconic 'Big top' tent from where they were situated. It wasn't far but it wasn't right beside them either. Dick sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

This was turning out to be trickier than he thought. No one was raising any red flags so far and that was putting him on edge. However, he was aware of how well circus folks could act. It was part of the job; putting on dramatics and  _performing_  for those around them.

Tapping his foot, he glanced over his shoulder at his friends as they talked amongst themselves.

For them, this was an exciting undercover mission. Beast Boy hadn't shut up about how cool it was since they'd arrived. Dick wanted to relax and join in on the "fun" side of missions like this.

But, this mission... it was so close to home. It made his stomach tighten with dread and he found himself growing bitter the longer they stayed.

This place was just a haunting reminder of his past. What had once been a location he thought fondly of was now just a constant memento of what he'd lost. He was tense and he was fully aware of it too. A string of memories kept flitting through his mind, with one tragic memory in particular making an appearance.

Dick felt an assortment of emotions and he was grateful that Rachel wasn't delving into his psyche too much. He didn't feel like opening up or explaining everything he was bottling up. He just wanted to get in, grab their accomplice and get out again. He just wanted this to be over.

The longer he stood at the door, the more irritated he became. Dick closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath, deciding to just go off on his own for a little while. He grabbed his jacket from just inside the trailer and shrugged it on.

"I'll be back in a while, guys." He mumbled,

Kory rose from her seat a little, "Did you wish for-"

"No." He paused, recognising that tone of his so he added, "Thanks." For good measure.

He slipped away then before anyone could say anything else. As he slowly closed the door behind him, he could feel his girlfriend's compassionate eyes burning into his back. He loved her and appreciated her concern but he didn't want to be around anyone at the moment.

Dick was grateful that she more than likely understood that he needed time. Being back at the place where his life completely flipped upside down was overwhelming to say the least. He just needed some air and some space.

He didn't want to linger for too long. He didn't want this mission turning long winded. A couple of days maximum were what he had in mind. He didn't want to dawdle for fear of being recognised either. His fears were lowered considering even he was wearing a hologram ring for this mission. But, the circus' owner; Mister Haly had known him well as a boy and he'd been good friends with his parents. As nice as it would be to see him again; he didn't know Robin. He hadn't  _seen_  Dick in years. It was better this way; to not cross paths if it could be helped.

This coming about, however, was somewhat good.

It finally gave him a reason to come clean about his identity to the Titans. He'd wanted to tell them for a long time but Bruce was strict when it came to blabbing his secrets; even if Dick himself was involved in said secrets.

He made a mental note to mention to Bruce that he'd let slip to his team about who he really was. Who they both were, beneath the mask and the cowl.

Dick sighed; he couldn't worry about Bruce right now. He had bigger things to focus on as well as trying to keep his feelings separated from the case. The latter, he was only just about succeeding with.

Wandering through the long, frosted grass, Dick could feel the bitter chill of winter especially hard tonight. The blustery winds seemed to strike with vengeance. Without his jacket, he suspected that his teeth would be chattering like crazy.

He allowed a tiny and brief smile to grace his lips as he thought back on his friends' reactions to his true identity. They all reacted pretty much as he always expected they would. Raven was fairly impassive; nothing more than raised eyebrows and nodding, appreciating that he told them after all this time. He partly wondered how much she already knew from the time she saw inside his mind. There were memories that flashed up back then that he knew she would have seen.

Cyborg had been completely gobsmacked, going as far as grabbing a photo of Dick Grayson off the internet to compare to Robin's face without the mask. He'd been buzzing with questions which were quickly followed by mock disappointment for not telling them sooner.

Beast Boy... wow. Dick thought he'd been a bit of a fanboy before but, after learning he was the famous son of billionaire Bruce Wayne and that of Batman's true identity... Dick was half afraid he'd blab to someone.

Of course once the novelty of  _who_  he was started wearing off, the boys childishly focused on the meaning behind his name. Then, they were just two bumbling idiots rolling around the floor, laughing. Raven had been helpful then; smacking them both over the head with a dark claw.

None of them had been surprised that Starfire already knew who he was. But, Beast Boy was sore that she'd seen him unmasked before anyone else. He'd responded to that with a shrug and a kiss to Starfire's temple.

Blades of grass crunched beneath his boots as Dick trailed further from the campsite, shoving his icy hands into his pockets. He sighed, watching his breathe freeze in the air before dispersing into nothing.

He noted the area he was wandering into had no people around, which he was thankful for. They were trying to keep a low profile which included talking to the least amount of circus folk as they could, as well as not mentioning their names too freely; especially his. Surnames were completely off limits from being told to anyone they happened to talk to.

If anything, the circus folk had more reason to be suspicious of  _them_  what with being so secretive and elusive.

Gaining access to Haly's was surprisingly easy. Vic had been the group speaker, pleading their case on wanting to join the circus. Dick had played it safe, staying in the background so he couldn't be seen.

Haly's was always on the lookout for new, talented recruits or as his parents used to tell him, "new family members".

Dick grunted and shook his head, deciding to focus. He'd come out to clear his head, yes but that didn't mean he couldn't do some investigating as well. He pulled a portable residue scanner out from his pocket, looking around to make sure he was alone before setting the device up.

He lifted his eyes to the few abandoned freight trains before him. Some were old and derelict ones that were too damaged to continue using when they moved their show across country. A couple looked in a little disarray and riddled with rust but the one he was looking for needed to be more...  _active._ Only recently disposed of to hide any kind of evidence.

Quietly stepping through the turf, Dick noticed the beeping and signal from the scanner getting a lot stronger. He smirked and let it lead him over to one that was part of a set, almost. They were in a line, creating a somewhat cul-de-sac with some fallen branches resting on the snow covered ground.

He was fairly far from the campsite now and the silence was a little unnerving. Dick found the train the scanner was picking up on and hopped up into it through the cracked door. He gave it a kick once inside and found it was pretty stiff; no doubt from being left in the freezing cold like this. Metal was a common loss against the elements.

Dick sniffed the air, trying to decipher what kind of explosives had resided inside.

There was a clear scent that he was getting. Sulphur more so than anything else. It was fairly strong too.

He flipped up the light on the scanner and listened out for the beeping and where it got faster. He tiptoed towards the back of the carriage, heading for the far left corner.

Dick crouched down when the sound of the scanner became insistent. He pulled a cotton swab from his pocket and dabbed the metal, hoping to pick up any kind of excess from the bombs.

Lifting the swab to his face, he tried to speculate the colour but the light was way too dim for him to make it out correctly. Gripping the scanner, Dick pressed the cotton to the print reader, allowing it to do the work for him.

There were a series of sounds as it calculated everything it could on the substance he'd found.

Within a minute, the scanner detected details about the missing explosives. Dick smirked. Whoever it was moving the explosives and aiding Slade was clearly not the brightest accomplice the madman could have chosen.

Leaving residue behind and not scrubbing the container clean to remove evidence was a rookie mistake and screamed inexperienced.

Dick assumed whoever was helping Slade shift certain weaponry and harmful things across the city borders wasn't in it for anything other than money.

It was the key to the simple minded, after all.

He continued checking the results of the residue, trying to place the origin of the explosives. Dick was somewhat relieved to see that they had only been shifted in the past couple hours. Still not great but it was better to see hours rather than days. No doubt the helper and Slade would be arranging a drop off or exchange during one of the coming nights. They wouldn't do it in daylight where they could be caught; that, Dick was sure of.

His heart dropped as he scrolled to the purchase location; where they had originally been moved from. It wasn't all that surprising; Jump was a sister city, Dick supposed.

Gotham.

It always had to be Gotham. Dick guessed it wasn't strange to get explosives from Gotham. It was the hot bed for crooked deals and black market offers. Chemicals, firearms, assorted weapons; Gotham was known for having all of that available and more, if you were willing to pay a price.

Dick narrowed his eyes. He frowned as he placed the scanner back inside his jacket. Why was Slade buying and trading with Gotham? And better yet, how did Batman not pick up on this? Sure, he's got a bucket full of criminals to watch but letting this slip under the radar wasn't good. Maybe he  _did_  know but just wasn't getting in the Titans' way. Slade  _was_  their criminal anyway. Dick grumbled. That did  _sound_ like something Bruce would do.

Slade so often bought equipment for his schemes from in and around Jump or went completely international and made deals with unethical sellers overseas. Why Gotham? Did he have a co-conspirator over there? Dick couldn't be sure just yet.

He exhaled and jumped out of the car, tugging his jacket around his torso a little more. It wasn't much but at least it was  _something_. He was on track.  _That_  was something to be happy about.

A particular frosty gust of wind blew, making him glance over at a train across from the one he'd just been inspecting. His gaze fell to it completely.

The freight car was completely busted; dented and rusted to the point of disrepair, with scratches and holes all over it. Definitely one of the  _really_ old cargo trains.

Dick walked closer, almost drawn to it.

Withered and worn and rapidly blowing in the wind was a poster; a poster that he would recognise anywhere.

He swallowed and lifted a hand, pressing his palm against the sub-zero surface. He winced at the pain that suddenly shot through him. The memory of the night they died utterly overwhelming him.

His heart panged in his chest as his eyes skimmed the old style font which read ' _The Flying Graysons'._

Memories, good and bad, relentlessly washed over him. He felt like he couldn't breathe as his eyes began to water.

The warmth of his dad's bear hugs. The scent of his mom's perfume. The sound of the laughter that always filled their trailer, no matter what.

The whistling tunes from his dad as he cooked breakfast. The little, unexpected kisses on the cheek and forehead from his mother as she called him her 'little robin'.

Dick clenched his free hand into a fist and shuddered.

"Fuck." He cursed; annoyed with himself for letting his emotions get the better of him. His gaze fell to the floor, watching the snow fall against it.

Even in this vulnerable state, he was still vaguely aware of someone standing and watching him. There was a whiff of chocolate in the air as well.

He didn't need to turn around. He knew who it was.

"Dick?"

Lifting his eyes to the poster once again, he felt a slither of disappointment. She'd refrained from using his full name and a small part of him really wanted to hear it from her lips on a regular basis.

"Hey," He murmured,

She got closer and so did the sweet aroma of chocolate. Dick could tell she was keeping a slight distance as to not crowd him or make him feel uncomfortable with her presence.

Despite her standing away, he could still feel the heat radiating off of her and that made him feel more at ease. Just her being nearby calmed him down.

"Forgive my interruption... it is just... Victor made the hot chocolate for all of us... I thought you might like some." Her voice was soft and hesitant,

Dick turned his head towards her, a small smile on his face. She was so adorable. He nodded and beckoned her closer, extracting one of the two polystyrene cups she was holding.

He eyed the silver ring on her finger and the choker around her neck. Holographic ring and voice synthesising choker. They worked well for undercover missions and Dick knew one day, they could use them to have a separate life. Of course, he wouldn't need his for his other life but  _Kory_  certainly would.

He suppressed a sigh. Whilst she was still beautiful under the guise of being human, he missed her normal appearance. Everything with Kory was slightly muted. Her hair was duller, her eyes were a dim green and her skin was so much paler than that exotic golden tone it usually was.

It was always strange seeing the team under a holographic veil; it made them look so... normal as a group.

Dick sighed and took a sip of hot chocolate, letting it warm his belly. Vic's hot chocolate always hit the spot, especially in winter.

"Thanks... and it's okay. I probably shouldn't wander too much anyway." He admitted,

He was acutely aware as Kory turned to look at the poster on the side of the neglected carriage. Her eyes became sad, the longer she stared at it.

Kory's heart broke for him. She knew what it must be like for him; being back here after so long. She wished she could make it easier for him but she couldn't. They had a job to do here. That's what he'd probably say.

She heard him shuffling and turned to find him holding the right side of his jacket open, waiting for her to take the hint and cuddle up to him. She smiled and did just that, resting a hand on his chest and stooping a little to lean her head against his shoulder. She used her free arm to wrap around his waist, keeping them close.

"I realise how difficult this is for you, my love..." She whispered,

He didn't say anything for a long moment until, "I just... it's been so long since I've been here... it's just hard to take it all in again."

Kory nodded, gently running her fingers through his hair. She lifted her head and kissed his cheek, surprising him,

"They would be very proud of you."

Dick blinked, "I don't know about that..."

She gripped his shirt, her brows furrowing with how sure she was of what she was saying.

"They would. You have accomplished so very much since their passing and you do so much good for innocent people. They would be very proud of the man you have become."

He stared at her, a lump in his throat and without thinking about it, he leaned in and gave her a sweet kiss, caressing her cheek at the same time.

"Thank you, Kory." He mumbled once he pulled away.

Kory beamed at him, brushing her nose against his just once. They dipped into silence for a little while, just gazing at the poster on the metal door. Dick was the one to step back from reminiscing. He pulled his jacket away from Kory and stepped out of her embrace,

"I suppose we should head back. We'll need to rest before the show starts tonight." He commented. He started to walk away, only to realise that Kory wasn't following.

He glanced back to see her still staring at the poster but standing a lot closer to it now. She lifted her hands to the corners of the poster, causing him to raise an eyebrow.

"Kory? What're you doing?"

Without turning her head, Kory began tugging at the poster edges.

His eyes widened, "Kory-"

"I am certain they have more."

Dick continued watching her as she pulled the poster down, folding it up to protect it from the wind. He tilted his head, confused but a little amused as well. Kory turned to him, holding the folded poster between her fingers and smiled timidly.

He smiled, curious of what she'd done, "Why'd you-"

"Do you own one of these?"

"The poster? Can't say that I do. Lost the one I had during my move from Gotham to Jump."

Kory stared at him, her green eyes bursting with love. She took his free hand and placed the poster against his palm.

"That is why. Perhaps it is wrong of me to seize it... but, truthfully... I believe it has more belonging in your possession."

Dick blinked in disbelief, glanced down at the poster before grasping it tightly. He smiled, a sense of relief flooding him at having one of the posters back in his possession. He'd been devastated upon arriving in Jump and finding that the poster was lost. It was one of the only things he had left of his parents.

He opened his mouth to speak but Kory got there first,

"Never forget where you come from, Dick. Keep it close to you. Always."

Grabbing her chin, he pulled her into a firm kiss, desperate to show his feelings through the gesture. He felt so  _damn_  lucky to have her in his life. She was the light in dark situations; the way out when he felt lost.

"I love you...  _so_ much." He murmured as he ended the kiss, resting his forehead against hers.

She stroked his cheek and smiled, "Come... we should go back."

Dick nodded and stepped away, taking her hand in his and stowing the poster inside of his jacket. She was right; he shouldn't forget where he came from and shouldn't let the bad memories cloud Haly's. It was a place he grew up and it was more than just a haunting reminder of his parent's deaths.

Kory snuggled into his side, sipping her hot chocolate as they began to walk back to the trailer. Dick took a breath, feeling the weight on his shoulders lift ever so slightly.

Now, it would be time for the real challenge. If they wanted to convince the rest of the circus folk they were the real deal and  _not_  undercover heroes during their time here, they would have to perform.

Let the show begin.


	24. Chapter 24

The drum roll from below was deafening. Alongside that and the constant cheering of the audience, Dick could hear nothing besides the blood pumping in his ears.

Flashes and strobe lighting filled the red and white tent, creating the magical illusion often attached to the idea of the circus. Dick gulped, feeling lightheaded as he looked down at the ground. He glanced from the enthusiastic crowd of people to his friends, who had already started their respective acts.

Of course, they couldn't infiltrate Haly's as a group act without having a cover of different skills to be eligible. They'd had to perform and show off their abilities as a troupe.

Down on the ground, Vic was taking on the role of a strongman; very convincing considering his size and bulk. It was completely believable that he could lift any weight. Dick frowned, hoping that everyone in the circus believed it too. With Vic holding up a small silver car with his mere fingertips, Dick prayed no one thought too much of the skills he was displaying and questioned it more than necessary.

It was extremely important that they didn't blow their cover before finding Slade's accomplice.

On the other side of the tent, Rachel and Gar were throwing knives to one another, using their free hands to twirl fire ended batons. It looked pretty damn impressive but Dick couldn't help but wonder just how much Rachel was using her powers to make sure the knives and batons didn't slip. Garfield had notorious butterfingers, after all and he was fairly certain Rachel, despite being under holographic disguise would not let herself get hit by a stray knife thrown by her boyfriend.

It had been tempting to put Garfield in as some kind of one man zoo but they all decided that would be too close to his powers. They didn't want anything to be remotely coincidental so they decided not to include any powers in any of their acts. Even Vic was holding back on his strength so it didn't seem suspicious.

And lastly, up on the trapeze podium, Dick stood. It was only natural that he took up the act of a trapeze artist, what with his skills and experience in that area.

But, he wasn't doing it alone.

He heard a gasp from beside him and smiled, turning to look at her.

"Oh! It is so breathtaking up here! And look! I can see our friends!" Kory gushed,

Dick's breath hitched as his eyes swept over her.

When they had decided to go with simply blue outfits, Dick had never considered just how  _good_  Kory would look in it.

He felt his cheeks get warmer as he gazed at her. She wore a deep blue, neck high leotard with a tiny ruffle of a skirt, allowing for flexibility and absolute mobility. On her arms, she wore gauntlets similar to her normal ones except they were blue and of a different material. It was all bedazzled with tiny rhinestones and glitter, making her glow brighter than usual.

She even had Raven begrudgingly paint her face with a mix of colourful make up and she looked utterly stunning. Her hair was wound up into a tight bun and she had shimmer powder dusted over her chest.

He himself was wearing a similar uniform just without as many sequins and he had attempted to get away without any powder but Starfire had playfully brushed his arms with the stuff.

Dick wore a sleeveless body suit with the top half being a light blue mingling into dark blue as it ran to the bottom half with the same kind of flame design as Starfire and the others had.

He cleared his throat and sighed shakily, a pang of sadness rippling through his chest as memories of his childhood swirled in his mind.

"Yeah... it's pretty amazing..."

Kory frowned and gently touched his arm before cupping his cheeks and giving him a brief kiss. She knew since they arrived at his old circus that he would struggle. This part of the mission would be especially hard; performing once again, mission or not, she knew how hard it was for him. It was inevitable.

Dick shrugged, brushing it off like it didn't matter but Kory knew it meant he simply didn't want to dwell on it, so she obliged, refraining from comforting him like she usually would have.

His blue eyes dropped as he gazed at her and this small smirk found its way onto his lips. Kory giggled and tilted her head, stepping away and twirling for him.

Dick sucked in a breath as the frills of the skirt flowed around her and he caught a glimpse of her bare back. He hadn't realized it had no back to it.

"You appreciate my outfit for this mission, yes?" Kory asked, fluttering her eyelashes at him,

He grinned, "Very much. Seriously... considered changing your uniform anytime soon?"

She put her hands on her hips and raised her eyebrows, "Oh? You would be the okay with allowing criminals to see me in such an outfit that is more revealing than my standard uniform?"

Dick froze before his lips fell into a thin line, "Okay. Nope. Forget it. Not happening."

Kory held her stomach as she laughed at his reaction. She could hear the faint rumble of the ringleader's voice from down on the ground and she wiped a tear away, straightening up to look over the edge and see what was happening.

Dick hummed a sound before jerking his to the side, signalling her to follow his movements. She saw the box of white chalk which Dick had informed her of. Immediately, she dipped her hands into substance, making sure to completely cover her hands. Dick did the same as her, keeping an eye on her to make sure she wasn't putting too little on.

He had explained that a lot of performers in the circus life had to chalk up their hands, especially if their acts involved being able to hold their own weight. Apparently, the chalk acted as a grip so that when one of them jumped for the trapeze bar, they wouldn't just slip off and fall.

With her hands covered, Starfire turned back to the edge, preparing herself. She glanced back at the two acrobats behind them. There were also two more on the opposite platform. Dick had told her they were basically a form of aid in the act. They would make sure the bars swung at the correct time, as well as waiting in the wings to act on a moment's notice if anything was to go wrong.

Kory inhaled, "I believe we must start."

She straightened up, closing her eyes and preparing to give the signal for the spotlight which was currently being rapidly moved around the ground for dramatic effect.

Suddenly, Dick grabbed her elbow and Kory gasped, her heart thudding in surprise.

Kory turned to him straight away, seeing his expression scrunched up in concern. She waited, knowing the fears that were most likely chasing each other inside her boyfriend's mind.

"Sorry... I just... last time I was up here..." He shook his head, his eyes filled with worry, "I don't want anything like that to happen to you  _too_."

She cocked her head, smiling sadly. Kory stood back from the edge for a moment, resting her forearms against his chest whilst he grazed her hips with his fingertips as to not cover her in chalk dust.

"Dick... I promise... you have nothing to fear. I shall not fall."

His eyes remained downcast, staring at her shoulder, not being able to bring himself to look her in the eyes. He did, however, feel the ripple of affection at her use of his name.

"Just...  _please_  be careful, Star... if something happened to you... I-I couldn't-"

" _Otu n'anya..._ shush. I will be careful. I know this act causes you to have the sad memories but you need not worry."

Finally, his blue eyes melded with her green ones, slightly altered behind that pesky ring. He gulped, "But we're undercover. If you feel yourself slipping, you can't just use your flight... and we don't perform with a net. I-"

Another kiss to silence him. Kory stepped back to the platform edge and gave him a smirk, reaching up to grasp the bar above her head with one hand.

"It will be the okay. Trust me."

Dick sighed, "I do."

Kory shrugged and there was a mischievous glint in her eyes, "Besides, I  _was_  trained by the absolute best in this act. Remember?"

He offered her a small, sad chuckle before sobering, "Stay safe up there."

Taking hold of the bar with her free hand as well, Kory locked eyes with him and nodded once.

With that, she carelessly fell backwards.

Dick's heart plummeted, a gasp springing from his throat as he scurried to the edge of the platform. Had she slipped? Was she okay? Did she-

He watched in astonishment as she swung through the air, twisting herself around to face the correct way with her legs incredibly still and straight. She glided back to his direction before swinging away once more.

Eyeing the acrobat on the opposite platform, he felt his heart rate increase as the young boy pushed forward the second bar for Kory to take when the time came. Dick held his breath, not daring to let it escape as he realized her first move was coming up.

As Kory swung back once again, she leaned back, practically upside down with her legs out to her sides, following the steady move through until she hit the peak of momentum.

Focused on the second bar, Kory released the first at the perfect height, executing a flawless  _whip écart_  before firmly catching herself with the oncoming bar.

As the crowd erupted in applause, Dick exhaled loudly; a small smile forming.

He never stopped being surprised by this girl. She made him feel so much; such a rush of emotions. It was like a rollercoaster with her but it was one he never wanted to get off of.

Dick never quite realised how much adrenaline would course through him, performing with Kory.

She was destined for the air regardless if it was by flight or trapeze. She practically belonged up there. She moved so effortlessly, her body one with the air; the rushing wind as she swung coaxing her positions and gestures. It was enchanting to watch.

He watched her as she swung back and forth, gaining speed before throwing herself off of the second bar and completed a  _double somersault_  back to the first.

Flashing a cheeky grin at Dick, which he could only respond to by staring at her in awe, Kory twisted herself and merely swung to the second bar again, simply swinging for the momentum.

Dick shook himself from his daze. He was due to leave the platform very soon and Kory was prepping the moment. He snapped to attention as the closest bar fell back through the air towards him.

That was his cue to get moving.

He grabbed the bar with both hands and watched Kory as she contorted her body in the most magnificent way.

Kory swung herself backwards, using all of her upper body strength as she manoeuvered her legs through the space between her arms so that her legs were parallel to her torso.

Then, with what looked like something so simple, she locked her knees around the bar, bringing herself up into a  _seat roll_.

Dick felt a grin consume his lips as Kory began to swing back and forth like the bar she was now sat upon was a mere play thing. Smirking, his girl beckoned him with her index finger, causing the audience to cheer and giggle at their playfulness.

He was surprised by how well she was playing to the crowds. He supposed he shouldn't be very shocked. She was a Princess after all; she definitely knew a thing or two about pandering and playing to the people around her. Just like  _he_  had his whole life by Bruce's side.

His grip on the trapeze bar shifted a little as he watched his girlfriend fall backwards, keeping her knees bent around the bar and slip into a catch position, her arms outstretched; ready and waiting for him.

Swallowing the lump in his throat and squashing the rush of anxiety, he pushed away from the platform, swinging once, twice; gaining force and speed and when he hit the pinnacle of the movement, he released the bar, throwing himself upwards as if to do a handstand, only to finish by completing a  _rudy_.

As Kory firmly gripped his wrists, he felt his heart soar and his emotions become so very heightened. The whole situation was so personal and close to his heart. Being here and doing this oh so familiar act with someone who meant the world to him... it was all extremely overwhelming.

He was  _so_  conflicted as well. He was rocked by sadness, the memories of his parents and their tragic demise haunting his mind. But, at the same time, he felt euphoric that he could share this with Kory.

Sharing this side of his life with her was a huge step in their relationship and he welcomed it. He'd never felt closer to her than right now, putting his absolute trust and faith in her in order to succeed in this performance.

She had always shared her flight with him, helping him in battle as well as rocketing them skyward just for fun. Flight was something no mere human could accomplish, no matter how much he'd always wanted to but Kory helped him to see that he could get pretty damn close to it.

Together, they swung towards the recently discarded bar and Kory let him go again, watching as he caught the bar with minimum effort. He pushed himself up onto it, turning and twisting before he fell back, mirroring Kory's catch position as she righted herself to prepare for a freefall again.

Dick's outstretched hands were her focus point. Sucking in a quick breath, Kory swayed back and forth for a short time, her legs fixed into a  _splits_  position, just to throw something different into their routine.

Bringing her legs together, Kory pushed herself to the apex of her move before jumping from the bar and gracefully twirling into a  _pirouette_.

Kory felt a jolt of electricity as it was Dick catching  _her_  this time. His fingers clamped around her wrists and she withheld a smile, practically feeling his protective nature rolling off of him in waves.

Flips, twists and rolls were how their routine continued, dragging gasps, claps and cheers from the audience below them.

Exhilaration coursed through Kory. Excitement had her shaking and her jaw hurt from the smiling she was doing tonight. This was such a different experience to flying, at least in her opinion.

The trapeze took much more discipline than flying. You had to teach yourself how to hold your positions and trust yourself not to fall. She felt warmth in her chest, pride and admiration for her boyfriend. She already knew how skilful Dick was but seeing him portraying those skills outside of a mission was breathtaking.

With the trapeze, it was all about trust and strength. You had to trust in yourself and your own abilities as well as trusting your partner. Kory was surprised at herself; she'd refrained from tapping into her flight the entire time.

She felt satisfied in some way. Dick had taken a step out of his comfort zone and had opened up his past with her and their friends in the biggest way she could think of. She was so grateful to have been allowed to participate in this particular act. It was a no brainer, when they had to think of acts to perform in order to infiltrate the circus that Dick would once again take up the trapeze. She never expected him to ask her to join him. Kory could have done an assortment of other acts but to be chosen as his partner was indescribable. She was so grateful and felt their bond had blossomed even more so because of this mission.

Kory had loved every single second of performing.

She threw Dick up towards the bar he had previously descended from after completing a faultless  _nid d'oiseau_. Dick breathed a big sigh as he finished, swinging up and planting his feet up on the platform. He panted, breathing hard after expelling so much physical energy all at once.

Dick turned and when the time came, he pushed the bar back for Kory to grab. She twisted her body around the bar, spreading her legs apart to follow through and complete a single  _pelicano_ before bulleting through the air and landing back on the platform they started.

Kory puffed for air and was acutely aware of the screaming adoration from below. The world quietened down around her however as she suddenly found herself firmly wrapped in Dick's arms.

He was shaking. With fear or relief, she couldn't be sure. Kory beamed and tightly hugged him back, running her fingers through his hair, soothing him and reassuring him that she was there and she was alright.

She shivered as his breath fanned against her shoulder, his fingertips digging into the soft skin of her exposed back. A hand slid down to cup her neck whilst the other gripped her.

Dick pulled back, breathless but he grinned broadly at her.

"Kory... that was... you were... God, I'm so glad you're okay."

She smiled and tenderly brushed her fingers against his cheek, staring into his deep blue eyes.

"Dick... that was... mesmerising. I had no idea that the trapeze was so enthralling!"

He simply stared at her, a mixture of emotions running through him all at once. Without a second thought, he tugged her forward, crushing his lips against hers. She melted against him, completely caught up in the thrill of the circus.

"So, any information from tonight?"

Garfield groaned, "Dude, I got bupkis."

Rachel turned her head towards him, raising an eyebrow at his phrasing. Shaking her head, she looked back at Dick and shrugged, "I tried psychically reaching for any sign of unusual behaviour but it was too loud. All the excitement and buzz in the air... there was no way I could bypass it to search properly."

Dick sighed and shifted his arms upon his chest but nodded, turning his attention to Vic, "Cy? Anything?"

Leaning back against the sofa in their trailer, Vic grunted. Rachel stood by the door whilst Garfield sat cross legged on the kitchen counter. Kory sat up on the table with her legs dangling over the edge with Dick perched beside her, back against the wall.

"I don't know what to tell you, man. Making conversation with some of the other acts... they're either really good at hiding shit or they just ain't got no link to Slade."

Their leader ran a hand through his hair, tilting his head towards Kory. He inwardly smiled at seeing her kicking her legs back and forth like a little kid.

"Star?"

His girl shook her head in dismay, "Nothing seems to be out of the ordinary, I am afraid. I spoke with several acrobats after our performance and none of them raised suspicion."

Dick growled in irritation and slid his fingers through his hair until he hands were both behind his head.

"This is hopeless." He murmured, feeling dejected.

They'd been here one night and all they'd found was the residue he'd picked up from the abandoned freight train at the back of the campsite.

Vic sighed, "Rob, we might as well just call it a night for now. We're all exhausted from the show. We can get a jump on it in the morning once we've all had a rest."

He mulled that idea over, chewing on his lip before he sighed and nodded, "You're right... alright, guys/ Head to bed and we'll go through it in more depth tomorrow; try and get a plan in order or something."

As the trailed was a larger one to accommodate them all, there were two bedrooms, a small bathroom and a lounge with a kitchenette as soon as you walked in. It was ' _cosy_ ' as Rachel had so accurately described it.

The sorceress trudged towards the bedroom she was sharing with her boyfriend, stopping long enough so he could morph into a kitten and leap onto her should, being lazy and letting Rachel carry him.

"Goodnight." She called over her shoulder, before slipping through the door.

Vic gave in to a loud yawn whilst Kory stood up and stretched her arms above her head. Vic draped himself across the sofa and saluted the couple, hooking his battery and charger up to his circuits for the night.

"Ah, night ya'll!" Vic called, snuggling down amongst the couch cushions and closing his eyes.

Kory watched him, wrung her hands and shifted from one foot to the other. Her eyes shifted, scanning the room for something. She eyed a lemon coloured blanket and caringly placed it over him, wanting to ensure he was warm. The winter was bitter and could still be felt in this little temporary home of theirs.

Vic grinned and gently patted Kory's arm, sitting up enough to place a kiss against her cheek.

"Thanks, baby girl." He murmured, lovingly.

Kory giggled at his knowing it was her. She turned back to their leader who had his hand reached out to her. Kory smiled, took it and followed him into the second bedroom.

Together, they began to get ready for bed. Out of respect, they kept their backs to one another as they stripped.

Dick dressed in some sweats and a light beater whilst Kory wore some of his lighter sweats that he had brought and a cute little t-shirt with a cartoon bunny face on the front. Dick smirked when he saw that. She was so adorable sometimes.

Kory yawned as she shoved her mass of red hair over her shoulder and sluggishly crawled into bed beside Dick. She snuggled up to him as he yanked the covers over them, his hand coming to rest on her hip.

Gently, he stroked his fingers just beneath the hem of her shirt, making the skin of her waist tingle. Kory started purring and was close to the edge of sleep but he seemed to not be as settled which worried her.

" _Otu N'anya_? You are okay?"

Dick nodded, "Mhm..."

Kory lifted her head to peek at him, "You are not."

He sighed but offered her a tiny smile, "I promise, I'm fine... just... I want this mission to be over and it's bugging me that we don't know who among us is helping Slade."

She rubbed his chest in circular motions, "My love, we have been here for one day. You cannot expect the answers to fall directly to us... now please, cease with the thinking over... you must rest."

A kiss to her forehead, "That's 'overthinking' Star... and I know... I'm just-"

Kory turned over in his arms, propping herself up to flash a smile at him.

"Tonight was most enjoyable, Dick."

He blinked at the sudden change of topic but didn't question it. Despite his mood surrounding the case, he smiled but then again, she always brought that out in him,

"It really was... flipping, catching... performing with you was incredible.  _You're_  incredible."

She laughed, such a merry sound in the darkness of the room. Kory simmered down and gazed at him,

"I love you... and thank you. I am so very happy to have shared in your history tonight."

He cupped her face and kissed her tenderly. Dick forced himself not to let their affection get too heated. They'd never get to sleep otherwise.

Kory blinked sleepily at him as he pulled away. Dick buried his fingers in her hair before giving her an affectionate ruffle.

"Sleep, baby..." He whispered,

Kory rubbed her eyes, "But... you-"

"I'll sleep eventually. I swear. Now, lay down, Star."

It took a moment but she obeyed, resting her head in the crook of his neck and within minutes, he heard her breathing become deeper and he sighed, realizing she had fallen asleep.

Dick stared up at the ceiling, still dealing with all the emotions floating around inside his head.

Tonight was insane. There were so  _so_  many memories that had assaulted him during the show. Standing on that platform, so high up in the air after so very long, gave him the strangest rush.

He'd felt ecstatic to have Kory by his side, experiencing it and sharing that part of his life with her that he'd had to keep hidden for so long on account of Bruce's rules. It felt freeing to be able to perform with her and feel that connection with her.

Dick missed them a lot; his parents. They'd taught him so much and the three of them had been so close knit. It hurt when he thought about them too much, remembering the way things used to be when he was just a circus brat and not a vigilante.

There had been a dull ache in his chest when they initially performed tonight but Kory helped to change that; to alleviate that ache.

In some way, he felt a re-connection with his deceased family, being back at Haly's. Embracing the trapeze once more, if only for a couple nights was nostalgic and brought back so many memories; some that had become clouded by their deaths.

It had reminded him that not  _all_  of his memories from the circus were sad ones. It was those happier times that he realized he should be cherishing and remembering; not the tragic ones.

 _Those_  memories could be left at the circus and in the past where they belonged. The happy ones, on the other hand, could be taken away wherever he went.


	25. Chapter 25

Morning came far too quickly with none of the Titans feeling particularly well rested. The music and noise from the circus had carried on long into the night and Dick found it funny how things had not changed since he was a child.

It wasn't long until they were all awake and out of their trailer.

Today was a day for complete focus. Dick had stated that he wanted this accomplice of Slade found so they could stop whatever plan was in place. He wanted them found.

Splitting up, they each decided to work their way through the campsite in order to get as much information on the residents of Haly's as possible. They considered this way, they would cover a lot more ground as well as doing so much faster than a group. Individually also looked a lot less suspicious than going round in their group.

Vic was in charge of questioning the horde of clowns that usually went on as a warmup act for the show. He had been less than thrilled about that, claiming how clowns gave him the 'heebie jeebies'.

Kory had been directed towards the cluster of contortionists; something she was more than happy to do, explaining that she found the 'flexible people' quite fascinating.

Garfield had been allocated to the animal acts, a desperation to know whether or not the animals were being mistreated in any way at all. Dick was very quick to assure him that Haly's would never allow animals to be harmed whilst under their care.

Rachel had begrudgingly agreed to go and ask about any strange behaviour around the circus from the two resident snake charmers whilst Dick had made the obvious choice and made his way over to the acrobats to talk to them again.

He was aware Kory had sweetly grilled them the previous evening but he was hoping to glean some more information that might have been missed out from the circus performers.

They were all counting on finding  _something_  at the very least. Wearing the rings and voice synthesisers were taking a toll on them all. It was draining to keep asking around, especially when no one was willing to come forward with anything beneficial to them.

He let his legs dangle over the edge as he stared out across the space of the big top. Dick sat on the platform, merely watching as the acrobats continued to practice. They threw one another, caught them and even practiced a few dazzler moves.

Dick kept his head down in fear of being recognized, despite wearing his hologram ring which gave him light brown hair and green eyes. Regardless of hiding beneath the illusion, Dick was nervous about someone learning who he was so much so he was going under an alter, alter ego during their time at the circus.

"So, how long you been with your troupe?"

He looked up at a boy about the same age as him, sitting on his right, on the other side of the platform. The young man had shaggy blonde hair and dark brown eyes with a quirk of his lips as he took interest in one of the newest members of Haly's.

Dick smirked, thinking of just how long he'd been with his 'troupe', "About 5 years."

The boy nodded, "Nice," He paused and held out his hand, "I'm Ben, by the way."

Shaking his hand, Dick fought not to give his name away, "Uh, Dan." He paused, inwardly rolling his eyes at how original that sounded, "Nice to meet ya."

"So, what brings you guys to Haly's? Passing through or long haul?" Ben asked, swigging his bottle of water,

"Nah, just a passing gig, I'd say."

He nodded, "I saw your performance last night. You were awesome."

Dick chuckled and rubbed his neck, "Thanks. It's a nice place, this."

"I've been here a couple years and am pretty happy."

Dick nodded whilst Ben cleared his throat and sat forward, looking sideways at him,

"So... call me presumptuous... but, I don't suppose that redhead partner of yours is single, is she?"

Smothering the smirk, Dick glanced at him. He just  _knew_  that was coming.

"She's taken."

Ben cringed, "Let me guess... I'm talking to her boyfriend right now, aren't I?

Dick laughed, "Bingo."

"Aww shoot... can't blame a guy for tryin'... she was befriending some of us last night. You're a lucky guy. She seems like a sweetheart as well as being a hottie."

Wanting to change topic, Dick merely nodded, "Yeah, that sounds like her... what's it like here? At Haly's, I mean."

Ben leaned back against the pillar in the middle of the platform, "It's good. Everyone pretty much gets along with everyone."

"Pretty much?"

He shrugged, "There are a couple of people that you kinda avoid."

"Like who?"

Ben chewed on his lip, looking around before he shuffled a tiny bit closer, "I don't know. It's like anywhere really. There's just some that you don't click with. I mean... there's this big dude with a beard... he seems a little obscure, if you ask me."

Dick narrowed his eyes, "Obscure how?"

"Disappears for hours at a time... it's like he's got some other things going on but Jack, you know the owner?"

Dick nodded.

"Well, word is Jack isn't happy with him. He only joined a couple months ago and Jack's at the end of his wits, practically."

"What's his name?"

Ben shrugged, "No idea. I just know he's a big guy with a beard and he throws knives. Screams weirdo, huh?"

Dick scoffed, "Just a tad... listen, I gotta get going. Nice talking to you."

"See you around man."

Carefully, Dick began to descend down the ladder again.

"Hey, Dan?"

He almost didn't look up at the sound of his 'name'. He shook his head, "Uh... yeah?"

Ben grinned, "Your girl... she got a sister at all?"

Dick smirked, "Yeah, but I don't know if you'd be interested. She's kinda got a bad streak."

The acrobat waggled his eyebrows, "Ooh, a bad girl? How bad we talking?"

"Prison life sentence."

Ben paled and held up his hands, "You know what? I think I'm good. Thanks."

Dick laughed as he continued to clamber down the ladder.

He was fighting so hard not to blush or react to her proximity but he was trying to be a little more open with public displays of affection for both of their benefits. She was such an emotional creature and she loved to show love, regardless of the time or the place.

Dick stood between her gorgeously long legs as Kory perched on the edge of the table back in their trailer. He leaned back against her as she draped her arms around his shoulder, her hands coming to rest on his chest.

Vic leaned back against the opposite wall whilst Garfield lounged on the sofa, flipping through the channels on the small TV.

"Please tell me ya'll got wind of something. I'm gettin' so tired of this.

Garfield turned his head, his expression sleepy, "Nada, dude. Maybe they're just not giving him up. You know... circus ties to each other and all that. Protect your own kinda thing.

"I am not so certain, Beast Boy. When I spoke to the very flexible people, they informed me that not everybody is the trustworthy. They explained that they were wary of a large man with facial hair who is relatively new to Haly's. However, I did not receive any more information than that."

Dick shifted, "But, I did. Met an acrobat today; Ben... he told me about the same guy too. Apparently he's a knife thrower."

Vic pulled a face, "Oh.  _Great_."

Their leader shrugged, "We haven't got an ID for him yet. We'll have to find the owner and ask specifically about the circus' tenants. I'm sure he'll oblige us. From what I was told, Jack isn't the biggest fan of this man."

"Good because then we can go home. These circus outfits are giving me a rash or something! It's so tight!"

"Man, you are so nasty." Vic shuddered, scowling at him,

"Hey, I'm just venting my problems."

Dick interjected before Vic could respond, "Beast Boy, where's Raven?"

"Um... I think she said something about walking around the campsite to try and pick up on more psychic and emotional readings."

The boy wonder nodded slowly and turned to look at their reports and findings for this mission, all of which was scattered over the kitchen table.

Rachel sighed as she passed yet another trailer with an intimate couple inside. She cursed the fact that sex was so emotionally and psychically loud. It was disturbing to say the least and she couldn't even shield herself; not when she was reaching out with her powers like she was.

She continued to walk through the grass, noticing that it was getting considerably darker; absently cursing winter's short amount of daylight. Rachel debated going back to the trailer but a small part of her urged to keep wandering around.

Whilst she wanted this mission to be over as much as anyone else, undercover missions always made her feel out of sorts. The circus was interesting but she could tell how tedious it was getting for the team, not to mention how it was effecting Dick emotionally.

As she padded along the edge of one of the tents near the back of the site, she felt multiple emotions rush through her. There was a twitch of anger and a jolt of fear from inside the tent.

Rachel paused before tiptoeing closer until she was right outside the entrance. She could heard a harsh, Russian accent above all else.

"I do not follow your orders, tiny man."

"If you're residing within this circus then yes, you do. I mean it, Nikolav... you are on your last warning! You barely turn up for performances and when you do, you're drunk or late... Just where  _exactly_  have you been scampering off to!?"

" _That_  is none of your concern,  _mu'dak._ "

"It is when it effects the rest of my- Oh!"

There was a faint yelp from the secondary voice and Raven warily peered her head in. She recognized the owner, Jack, immediately. The other man, presumably Nikolav, was a big, broad man with a black beard. There was a faint scar right across the left side of his face and Rachel instantly felt a darkness about him.

He had Jack held up by the throat.

"Do not cross me, old man. I follow no one and I am led by no one."

Jack struggled, gasping in a breath, "Then what... is it exactly you are... here for-" Jack's eyes scanned Nikolav and spotted the bag around his shoulder with cash and gloves poking out slightly, "Where did that money come from, Nikolav!?"

The Russian man smirked, "Let us just say, I am doing the extra work beyond this place."

His eyes widened as Jack realized something, "That man... the one you've been speaking to on the phone recently! You've got something corrupt going on, I'm sure of it!"

Nikolav's responding chuckle was cold and Rachel felt a tingle down her spine.

"Your  _circus_  is very helpful for shifting... certain things across the border, I have got to say, Jack."

The ringleader shook his head and sucked in a breath, "The items on that cargo train! What are they!?"

Nikolav grinned again and leaned closer. Rachel flinched. He reeked of vodka so much that she could smell him even from where she stood.

"I'll give you a hint... they go boom..." His voice was gravelly as he revealed more than he was probably aware.

Jack tugged away but Nikolav's grip on his throat did not cease.

"How dare you use this circus for your heinous crimes! I never should have allowed you to remain here! I knew there was something off about you! I'm going to call-"

The owner groaned as Nikolav tightened his grip, "You are not going to do anything, little man... I am going to make sure of that."

Swiftly, Nikolav pulled a dagger from his belt and readied it before Jack's chest. Rachel inconspicuously used her powers to make the weapon fly across the room before she gasped and took a step away from the tent, snapping a twig beneath her foor.

Nikolav's fierce expression became directed at Rachel before he growled low in his throat and charged straight for her. Rachel frowned and swore under her breath before she turned and sprinted from the scene into the fields stretching far beyond the campsite.

Rachel had thoughts rapidly flitting through her mind. She knew she could hold this guy back but not whilst she was still under hologram. Undercover missions required them to be careful, choosing the right time to shed the disguise and take criminals down as the Titans rather as their alter selves.

"Such a shame you will have to die, pretty flower!" Nikolav shouted as he gave chase, the dagger glinting in his hand again,

The dark girl rolled her eyes and muttered, "In your dreams."

Her heart stopped as he caught her off guard, grabbing her by the hood and yanking her backwards. She hit the ground and grunted, narrowing her eyes as he towered over her.

His smirk became suggestive and she felt sick, "Perhaps I will have some fun with you  _first_ ,  _malyshka._ "

Rachel glared at him, flicking her eyes to the ring on her finger. She needed backup before she attempted to anything. But, she also couldn't hold out for long without tapping into her abilities.

As he reached for her, Rachel brought her knees up and kicked him hard across the face, causing him to stumble backwards.

She took the chance to get up and run, heading for the forest just on the outskirts of the campsite. She hoped heading there would give her enough cover to make a call to the others.

"You stupid little  _shlyukha!_ " He howled, clutching at his face, the rage increasing tenfold.

Rachel smirked as she continued to run, sparing a single glance over her shoulder. Reaching into her pocket, she felt around for and brought out her communicator.

Suddenly, she cried out; intense, searing pain burning through her leg. She staggered before turning and seeing Nikolav's dagger sticking in the ground near her foot. She glanced back at her leg, seeing fresh blood gushing from the slash wound on her pale skin.

Infuriated, Rachel pulled the knife from the earth and launched it back at him in anger, not really caring where it pierced him.

Nikolav made a startled sound and jumped backwards in fear, falling on his ass.

She took the opportunity to limp through the maze of trees, turning her head every which way to find a hiding spot. Rachel hobbled over to a large oak with a thick bark for her to crouch behind.

Rachel focused on controlling her breathing so she wouldn't be discovered and peeked at Nikolav. He was pacing within the entrance of the forest, dagger in hand and was clearly looking for her.

She sighed and mumbled to herself, "Giving him the knife back probably wasn't the  _best_  idea, Raven..."

Rachel bit her lip as pain continued to ripple through her leg. It throbbed and she could still feel the warm blood seeping from the gash.

Waiting until Nikolav was a little further away from her, she hit the emergency button on her communicator.

It rang once before Garfield's concerned face fill the screen, "Rae? You almost-" He stopped and panicked when he saw her pale, sweaty face, "What's wrong?"

Rachel breathed in deeply, "I've found our guy. Nikolav, the knife thrower... He's the one who's been shifting the explosives."

Garfield's forehead creased in anxiety, "Stay right there! Dick says we'll track you. Are you hurt?"

She winced and shook her head, "No."

"Don't you lie to me, Rae. What did he do?"

Rachel quirked a small smile, her heart fluttering at his concern, "Don't worry... it's just a scratch. He just got a shot at my leg with a knife."

Garfield blinked before he growled, "I'm gonna punch his stupid face."

She shook her head but smiled before it wavered, "Just hurry, idiot."


	26. Chapter 26

Rachel gritted her teeth as her leg continued to throb. She glanced down, checking on the blood flow. It had somewhat subsided but still needed to be tended to.

Of course, she could heal the wound but she needed more time, not to mention a safer location in order to use her powers.

A tree nearby to where Rachel was hiding suddenly burst into flames. She jumped, her head snapping in the direction of the explosion.

Another tree followed suit, only for the one directly opposite her to become engulfed in fire too.

Rachel gasped and fell backwards from behind the tree. She stared at the forest around her that was slowly burning before she heard a low throated laugh.

Nikolav stood within the trees, smirking at her whilst fingering the blade of his dagger. He nonchalantly stared at the weapon as he said, "You did not think I only carry knives, did you?"

She held her breath, her eyes shifting left and right, keeping her hopes on the arrival of her friends. Rachel wanted to use her powers, desperately, but she knew she couldn't just break character. Despite being in the woods, she didn't know who could see  _what_  from afar. They would need the holograms again one day and their aliases were already in place for the future. It would still be a long time until they would have to use them but she knew, 'Rachel Roth' would be her normal identity once she was no longer apart of the Titans.

Sensing this was her slimmest chance, Rachel got to her feet. With a pain filled grunt, she staggered back across the open field, towards the campsite. She didn't want him throwing any more explosives into the forest. The flames would need to be dealt with and soon; if only the others would come.

Nikolav cackled at her futile attempt to get away. Due to her injury, Rachel was a great deal slower than before.

"Where are you going,  _devushka_?" He paused, watching her through veiled eyes, "The fun has only just started."

Rachel glanced over her shoulder just in time to see him throw a tiny explosive ball at her feet. It detonated, causing her to lose her balance. She stumbled and fell, using her hands to brace the impact a little.

Groaning, she pushed herself up enough to see Nikolav towering over her, a malicious grin on his face. She rolled onto her back and tried to drag herself backwards, only to have the knife thrower place his foot on her leg, adding enough pressure to make her wound burn.

She cried out, narrowing her eyes in fury at the man before her.

"Perhaps we should make this quick,  _suka_? End you now, no?" He told her in a husky tone,

Nikolav pulled his dagger up high, staring down at her with a sick smirk. Rachel bit her lip, knowing she could take this guy down in a heartbeat but not being able to because of the hologram. As long as she was disguised, she was in danger.

Rachel squeezed her eyes shut as he brought his hand down, readying herself for the searing pain to come from a blade.

Except it never came.

The roar of a tiger reverberated throughout the field, one that was ferocious and filled with determination to protect. A pain filled grunt sounded from Nikolav which made Rachel look up.

Beast Boy was on all fours, snarling and swishing his tail as he paced back and forth, in front of Nikolav. She shivered, quietly enjoying his protective nature when it came to her. It made her feel  _special_.

She jolted at the sound of Cyborg's sonic cannon, followed quickly by Starfire's green energy being hurled across the field at Nikolav who just about rolled away in time to not be hit.

Robin skidded to a halt beside her, crouched down and rested a hand on her shoulder, "Raven, you okay?" He asked, in a slight murmur, careful of not knowing who may be listening.

She nodded and jerked her chin downwards, "Just my leg. I can heal it quickly, I just need to be rid of this stupid ring."

Robin smirked and stood up again, "Go ahead. Just stay out of eyesight when you remove it."

Rachel sighed and accepted Robin's hand in helping her up. She leaned on him a little before Beast Boy, now morphed into a gorilla, took over and helped her limp into the section of forest not being consumed by fire.

She watched as Robin jogged on ahead, joining Cyborg and Starfire in their fight against Slade's little associate.

As they reached the sea of trees, Beast Boy turned back into his normal self, looking at her in concern, "You sure you're okay, Rae?"

Rolling her eyes, she gave him a look, "I'm fine. Stop worrying so much."

It's a good thing Beast Boy knew her so well considering he simply countered her with a broad grin, so much so his fang was pointing out over his lip,

"Can't be helped, babe."

She blinked at him before smiling and shaking her head at him.

Cyborg groaned at the radiating pain across his face from the right hook he'd just been dealt by the Russian perpetrator they were battling. He faltered and stepped back, wiping a smidge of blood from his lip.

He blinked before scowling, "Oh,  _hell no_."

Aiming his sonic cannon, Cyborg let loose firing beam after beam and took delight in watching Nikolav scramble around like a monkey.

Starfire watched from above as Nikolav got a lucky shot in at Cyborg, going low and coming up high to connect his elbow with his chin. She growled, her eyes glowing a furious green and swooped down, holding a large starbolt aloft.

Just as she moved to release the starbolt, Nikolav jumped her. He grasped her upper arms and forced her down onto her back, amongst the grass. Starfire grimaced, shifting as much as she could, completely surprised by his strength.

He gave her a slow grin that made her skin crawl whilst his eyes raked across her form,

"Hmph... sexy little thing... tell me  _krasivaya._ Have you ever had a man  _inside_  you? Would you like to?" He drawled, rubbing his thumbs against her skin.

Starfire blinked before her eyes burned bright, making him flinch. She shook with rage and bared her teeth, hissing out, "Do  _not_ touch me."

With that, she brought her knees up against his chest, snarling, "You are a vile waste of a human being! You are  _no_  man. You are a criminal and we  _will_  stop you!"

She shifted and rammed her feet into his face with a deep throated roar, sending him clear across the grass before her. Nikolav howled in pain and staggered, clutching at his bloody nose.

Starfire found great satisfaction in the crunch sound his nose made and she smirked, getting up again.

"You little  _brodyaga_!"

Robin appeared by her side in an instant, tentatively touching her arm, "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

She turned and smiled to reassure him before it melted away and was replaced with a scowl, "I am fine. He simply made the mistake of using crude and disgusting language."

Her boyfriend huffed, gritted his teeth and glared at Nikolav who struggled to get his bearings after the pain in his face subsided. Robin jolted suddenly as numerous cracks sounded from the forest beyond them; the blaze spreading slowly.

Opening his mouth to direct his team, Robin paused as Nikolav chuckled manically. He looked up at the criminal, his eyes widening behind his mask as Nikolav pulled several bombs from his belt.

"Titans! Watch it!"

He caught them all off guard as he threw them over his shoulders, bouncing and exploding amongst the trees. The flames intensified, the fire spreading rapidly now unlike before.

Starfire gasped and lifted into the air, her eyes scanning the growing damage with dread. About half an acre of the forest had caught fire and it was only getting worse. Her eyebrows furrowed and her heart raced. She glanced down at Robin.

"It is spreading too quickly! A big portion of the vegetation has already been incinerated!" She shouted, the roar of the flames becoming louder and distorting their hearing.

Robin's mind was ticking, trying to come up with a plan of action. His eyes narrowed as he caught sight of Nikolav running into the West side of the forest, still untouched by the inferno.

"Cyborg! Starfire! Get the circus folk evacuated as quickly as possible!" Robin called, earning nods from the two.

He turned his head to see Beast Boy and a now healed Raven running towards them, the couple glancing at the fiery forest in concern.

"Beast Boy! Raven! Call the fire department and stop the fire from spreading as much as you can until they arrive!"

Watching his team disperse, Robin growled and gave chase to Nikolav. As they passed the threshold of the forest, Robin shot his grappling hook at Nikolav's feet, tripping him up.

Seeing his chance, Robin pulled on the wire, dragging Nikolav across the dusty clearing of the forest and pounced on him, punching him across face. Snarling, Nikolav grabbed Robin's fist and twisted his arm. Robin yelped out as pain rippled through his shoulder before roughly being shoved away.

Nikolav huffed and attempted to get up but Robin was one step ahead, already standing and delivering a roundhouse to his chest, knocking the wind from his system so much he fell flat on his back.

Robin stooped to the ground, turning Nikolav onto his stomach and pressed his knee against his back to trap him. The boy wonder wanted some answers and he  _was_  going to get them from this lackey of Slade's.

He yanked Nikolav's arms back and readjusted them beneath his knee and against Nikolav's spine. Robin used his free hand to grip his hair and hold him still.

"Looks like you're running out of options here, Nikolav." Robin hissed, his lip curled in distaste.

The Russian man panted and coughed, beginning to feel nauseous on account of the blood loss from the broken nose Starfire had given him.

"Ugh... I... okay... I give... I will fight no more..." He moaned, his head swaying a little as dizziness started to consume him.

"I want answers right now. Where are the explosives!?" Robin yelled, tugging on his hair a little to rouse him from his delirious state,

Nikolav spat out some blood and slowly smirked, "I do not know what you are talking about." He chuckled, coughing slightly,

Robin clenched his teeth and pulled on his hair again, bending his neck back but not hard enough to do any real damage. He believed in force when needed but not outright brutality like Batman sometimes did. He definitely didn't believe in torturing this guy to get the answers he needed.

"You sure about that?" Robin asked,

Nikolav grunted and slumped against the ground, "Ugh... oh... they are in the forest... North West of here, in old well with chipped bricks."

"Away from your little arson attack?"

"Yes. It has not been touched by fire... yet."

Robin growled and tightened his fist around Nikolav's hair, "If you're lying, that nose is going to get broken beyond repair."

"I'm not lying! I swear on my  _babushka_ 's life!"

The boy wonder stared at the criminal for a moment before he huffed and released his hair. Nikolav sighed and dropped his face to the cold ground, catching his breath. Robin pulled his communicator from his belt and signaled.

"Rob? The civilians are all out of reach of the fire and the guys from the fire department are on their way."

Robin felt a small sense of relief, "Good. I need you to check on a location in the North West side of the forest for me. It hasn't been touched by the fire yet, has it?"

"No, fire's being contained on this side by Raven at the moment but I don't know how long for."

"Have her keep at it for as long as she physically can. The explosives that Slade was having smuggled through to him are allegedly in an old well over in the North West side. Scan for the residue sample I got from the freight car the other day and see if you can pick up the signature."

"I'm on it. I'll alert you when I find em'."

" _If_  you find them. I don't doubt this guy could be lying."

"Either way, I'll let you know asap."

"Thanks. Defer to Starfire for leadership whilst you're gone. She can oversee the fire department as well as making sure the circus people stay safe, away from the fire."

"Will do, man."

"Robin out."

Placing his communicator back on his belt, he glared down at Nikolav, who decided to try his hand at being snarky,

"Can I get up already?" He grumbled,

"We're not done yet."

"What? I told you where explosives are-"

"That's getting verified as we speak. While we wait, I want some more answers."

"I do not know anything more!"

Robin narrowed his eyes, "Why are you working for Slade?"

Nikolav coughed, "Money."

The boy wonder was dumbfounded, "And?"

"Just money,  _ditya_."

Whilst he wasn't fluent in Russian, Robin knew a little but he definitely knew that word. He despised that word and hated being called it. He frowned, eyebrows furrowing and dug his knee into Nikolav's back a little harder.

"You were willing to risk yourself and others, just for money?"

Nikolav chuckled, blood dribbling from his lip, "Money can make people do many things."

Robin hummed, "Spineless people, maybe. Where is he?"

"Who?"

"Slade. You've been working with him after all; you must know where he's hiding and if I were you, I'd say it soon before my patience runs out."

Nikolav shook his head, "I do not know where he resides. He merely contact me once after hearing from others that I could do his desired job."

"So you've committed other crimes too then." Robin answered, sounding smug.

The criminal blinked and paused, realizing he'd erred, " _Blyad'_."

Robin briefly smirked, "Why does he want the explosives? What is he planning?"

"I do not know."

Robin pushed down hard on his wrists, making him groan with pain.

"Please! It is truth! I do not know what this  _Slade_  wants with bombs. He just approached me with money. That is all!"

Watching him for a minute more, Robin huffed and moved aside. He got up, dragging Nikolav to his feet as well. He slapped a pair of handcuffs around the man's wrists before pushing his shoulder to get him walking back towards the campsite where Robin noticed multiple blue and red flashing lights.

"Do I still get to keep money?" Nikolav wondered,

Robin raised an eyebrow, "What do you think?"

Nikolav sighed, hanging his head, "That is what I thought."

The billowing smoke wafted into the night sky as the fire fighters put out the last of the embers still burning. The majority of the East side of the forest had been lost and was now nothing more than dead bark and ashes.

Flashing lights were blinding most of the people still waiting around the crime scene. Ambulances and police were at the sidelines, helping and taking statements. It would be a long night for the rest of the circus folk.

Robin watched the dimming chaos at the edge of the grounds, his arms folded over his chest and his team stood around him. His eyes kept drifting back to the big top even though he tried to ignore it. He hated that Slade had managed to shift something so dangerous through the place so personal to him. Robin  _knew_  Slade had no idea about his old connections to the circus or his identity but still, it gave him chills that he'd chosen something so close.

Then again, Robin guessed a travelling circus was a lot less conspicuous than a train or truck that would be checked differently when crossing the borders between the cities. The circus cargo was well protected on the road unless they had an inside man doing the dirty work, of course. Nikolav made sure of that one.

"So..." Raven droned from his shoulder, "Did he let on to any information regarding Slade?"

Robin sighed, "Barely. Not that I really expected to get much out of Nikolav besides where the explosives were this time around. We all know how Slade likes his secrets. He doesn't share his plans with accomplices very easily."

"If Nikolav never met Slade, how did they do business?" Beast Boy wondered, tilting his head,

"Apparently, it was a 'drop off and pick up' deal. Nikolav corresponded through calls with Slade about what explosives he would get brought in from his boss in Gotham before telling Slade where he'd leave them and then Slade would've left the money for Nikolav in the same place another night. From my understanding, Slade was supposed to pick the explosives up later tonight or at least, send one of his bots to do it for him."

"You think he's still comin'?" Cyborg asked, leaning heaving on the fence behind them.

Robin shook his head, "No. He would have caught wind of all of this; known we figured it out and stopped it. He's more than likely gone back into hiding for the time being."

"One question I've got... if Nikolav's boss is Gotham based, surely Slade is in cahoots with them too?" Cyborg queried,

Their leader narrowed his eyes, "Mm... it wouldn't surprise me if Nikolav was just the middle man and Slade's real partner as such is over in Gotham."

"Who would he possibly know in Gotham?" Raven wondered,

Robin shrugged, "Not sure... I'll contact Batman tomorrow; ask him if he's noticed any strange dealings with his regular criminals over there."

Starfire floated, passively watching as Jack darted around the circus, answering questions, looking after his people and making sure the grounds were still okay to use for performances. She noticed him coming out of the big top with a letter in hand, shaking his head with dismay.

"Robin, what will we do about our cover? It is surely suspicious on our part?" Starfire asked,

He looked up at her before following her gaze to where Jack stood.

"I took care of it, already." Robin replied,

Cyborg blinked, "What'd you do?"

"Haly's lost a few of its acts tonight; they packed their stuff and left during the commotion. Nothing like this has really happened before or at least... not for a long time. Some of them got scared. I used that to our advantage. Left a note that Haly's wasn't for our troupe and that we were grateful for the brief experience anyway. As far as these people are concerned, our little group was gone when the fire first broke out."

The others nodded.

"Kinda sucks. I was enjoying this whole undercover circus gig." Beast Boy admitted,

Cyborg looked at him in confusion, "Weren't you just complaining about tight uniforms this afternoon?"

"Yeah! But, besides  _that_ , this was kinda cool!" Beast Boy amended, waving his hand dismissively,

"So... what now?" Raven interjected before Cyborg could retort,

Robin sighed, "Well, I guess we go back to the tower, analyze the explosives and keep on Slade's tail as much as we can." He eyed the explosives under lock and key in Cyborg's arms.

Beast Boy bounced on the spot, grinning, "Hey, at least we kept the explosives from him!"

The boy wonder quirked a small smile, "True." His smile faded, "Although now, he's probably going to be itching to get back at us for stopping him from receiving them."

"Well, when he decides to try doing just that, I'm sure we'll be ready for him." Cyborg affirmed.

Robin nodded and looked around the grounds one last time, "Looks like everything here has been cleared up." He eyed the police car with a bandaged Nikolav in the backseat, "Nikolav is being taken away and charged with multiple crimes, the fire didn't spread to cause irreversible damage and we  _did_  get a hold of what Slade was smuggling."

Cyborg clapped his hands together, "I think this calls for pizza, ya'll! T-Car is still under disguise down the street. Want me to bring it around?"

Robin shrugged, "Might as well just walk down."

Beast Boy sprinted ahead of the rest of them with Cyborg and Raven slowly following after him.

"I call shotgun!" Beast Boy called over his shoulder,

Cyborg blanched, "Uh-uh! He is  _not_  riding shotgun in my car!"

He ran ahead while Raven continued walking, rolling her eyes and muttering, "Idiots."

Robin watched as his team started to leave before glancing back at Haly's. He smiled as warm hands wrapped around the exposed skin of his arm.

"Robin? You are... okay?"

He sighed, "I'll be fine."

"I believed you wished for the mission to end as quickly as possible so we may return home?"

Robin nodded, "I did. I  _do_. I want to go home... but, it was kinda nice being back here. It made me feel... close to my parents."

Starfire tilted her head, her eyes turning compassionate and kissed his cheek, "I believe they miss you just as much as you do them, my love."

He turned to her and smiled softly. Robin reached up and brushed his fingers across her cheek, bringing her into a kiss. It was brief but it was enough to let her know he appreciated her words.

She slipped her hand in his and gently steered him through the gates of the field, allowing him one last look at his original childhood home.

Robin sighed and cast his eyes down, placing his arm around her waist,

"Let's go home."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Because I feel like someone will point it out as a flaw, some of the things Nikolav says here may sound incorrect but it's not; it's a use of somewhat broken English, considering he is Russian.
> 
> Also, to save you guys being like huh? Here is a glossary type thing for the Russian words he uses. Beware, they might not be 100% accurate. Google translate is hit and miss.
> 
> Devushka - Girl
> 
> Suka - Bitch
> 
> Krasivaya - Beautiful
> 
> Brodyaga - Tramp
> 
> Babushka - Grandmother
> 
> Ditya - Kid
> 
> Blyad' - Fuck
> 
> Isn't Nikolav just oh-so pleasant. He was fun to write though. A foul mouthed lackey; fun!


	27. Chapter 27

It was torn and tattered but jheez, was he happy that she'd saved it from enduring any worse from the elements of the outside world.

He idly wondered how long it had been pinned up on the side of that rusted freight carriage. It was quite the morbid reminder of what happened so he hadn't been surprised that it had been amongst that quiet, sad little corner of Haly's.

Robin sat on the edge of his bed; his elbows resting on his knees with his hands woven together in the space between his legs.

Lifting his head, he stared at the ' _Flying Graysons'_ poster that was now pinned up at the back of his wardrobe. At least it wouldn't get any more ruined being back there.

He loved his parents and he missed them every single day. The poster, whilst a constant reminder of them being gone, was at least something from that time in his life. He didn't have many mementos from his time with his parents anymore.

Part of Robin had wanted to pin it up above his bed and maybe one day, he would do that. Despite his friends now knowing who he was, he still didn't want something that personal on display for everyone who wandered into his bedroom.

He sighed and scooted backwards on the bed so his back rested against the wall. His unmasked eyes remained locked on that poster. This one would  _not_  get lost this time.

Robin briefly smiled in sadness; he remembered when he'd completely moved to Jump City and the poster was nowhere to be found. He had been heartbroken but as usual, had hidden it well from the others.

He'd been tempted to ask Bruce if he'd left it back in Gotham but decided against it, considering how angry with Bruce he  _was_  at the time.

Once he'd moved on slightly from their initial split from one another, he'd asked and Bruce had Alfred search the entire manor, top to bottom. But, he'd came up empty.

It wasn't often Robin reached out to speak with Bruce. Never a social call. It was always when he needed to know something.

The same went for visits back to Gotham which were also very few and not at all often. Robin could hazard a guess that he'd probably been back there about 3 times in the 5 years with the Titans.

Shaking his head, Robin refocused on the poster.

He had some items from his time with his parents but not a lot. He had a photograph of the three of them that was tucked safely at the back of one of his drawers. Now, he had the poster too and there was something else; something more special than both the poster and the photograph put together. It was something he  _never_  wanted to lose or misplace.

He flicked his eyes to the item in question, protected within the palm of his hand and smiled.

There was a light knock at his door and Robin looked over, already knowing who it was.

"Come in, Star."

The door whooshed open and Starfire stepped in, looking sheepish at his ability of knowing it was her. He chuckled as she floated over, sitting beside him on his bed.

"How did you know it was me?" She wondered, drawing shapes with her index finger against his bedspread.

"It's kinda late and I know everyone else has already gone to bed. You're the only one who would visit."

She looked up and smiled as her eyes connected with his.

"You are... okay after our most recent mission?" She probed, touching his shoulder just for the sake of being in contact,

It'd been a few days since they got back and whilst Robin was determined to stop Slade, they hadn't gotten a lot to go on from the undercover stint at Haly's so he'd been a little more relaxed than he usually allowed himself to be.

Robin nodded, "It was... nice... to see how things are going with them. I didn't even realise they still toured the country to be honest."

Starfire nodded, "It was quite an interesting experience."

He shrugged, "It gave me a little bit of closure, I suppose. I'd avoided ever going back to Haly's because of the memories but... I feel better than before. I felt close to mom and dad being there again." He paused and smiled softly at her, "Not to mention it was really fun performing with you. Made me wish they could of met you. They would have loved everything about you."

She raised an eyebrow, "Even the fact I am from another planet?"

He laughed, "Knowing them? Probably. They were pretty accepting of all people. My parents never cared where a person was from or what they looked like. The only thing that mattered was if they were a good person and believe me, you are the best."

Blushing, Starfire smiled sincerely, "I believe I would have liked them very much. Alas, had the tragedy involving them not occurred... you and I would never have crossed paths."

His eyes shone as he stared at her, relieved that he'd never have to know what never meeting Starfire was like, "Everything happens for a reason."

She smiled sadly and tilted her head, intrigued by the brief glimmer from beneath his fingers, "May I ask what you have in your hand?"

Robin smiled fondly and lifted his hand, opening his fingers. A silver chain tumbled from between them, stopping short and Starfire sucked in a gasp. The round, silver pendant on the end winked at her as it swayed back and forth.

Starfire was mesmerised by the rhinestone edging and her fingertips hovered near the piece of sacred jewellery. Whilst she wanted to, she wouldn't reach for it. Clearly, it was something Robin held dear and she was afraid of possibly damaging it.

"Oh! It is such a beautiful treasure..." She breathed,

"It was my mother's... and my grandmother's before her and so on. It's been passed from mother to daughter for who knows how long but since my mom never had a daughter, she gave it to me before our first performance together. She told me it'd be a good luck charm." He laughed, "Said it was charmed by  _gypsy_  magic to make it lucky."

Starfire tilted her head, a little confused so Robin elaborated. He hadn't mentioned that part of his heritage because he hadn't been sure how much Starfire knew about other cultures.

"I'm descendant from  _Romani_  roots. Most  _Roma_  people live within Europe, though some are in America too. They're defined as travelling people who are usually associated with fortune telling and other wandering trades. Being in the circus, we kind of followed that but I don't know too much else about it because my mom would only mention things here and there before she died. She even taught me the language growing up."

Starfire smiled secretly to herself, having known he spoke the language but simply didn't know  _what_  language it actually was. She tapped her lips,

"Oh, so it is another type of human ethnicity, yes?"

He nodded.

Her brows furrowed again, "So... what is a  _gypsy_?"

Robin pulled a face before he shook his head, " _Gypsy_  essentially means the same thing but it's become more of a derogatory term for the ethnic group, used by people who hold prejudice against traveller types of groups."

Starfire frowned, "How horrible!"

"That's some humans for you."

Starfire's eyes fell to the locket again, followed quickly by Robin who did the same. He smiled as he reminisced,

"I still remember being such a boy about it... I said it was way too girly for a guy to have... but now, it's something I cherish the most. It's all I have left of her."

"Do you always keep it with you?"

Robin shook his head, "Only for important things where I need all the luck I can get. I mostly carry it when I'm worried or nervous for something." He paused and smiled, "Like our first date when we got back from Tokyo."

Her eyes sparkled at the memory and she covered her mouth with her hand before giggling, "You were indeed, quite nervous that evening. You did wonderfully, however."

Robin made a face at her but grinned, "Thanks. Must've been the locket."

"It must." She smirked, running her fingers through his dark hair.

As her fingers ran down the back of his neck and shoulder, Robin held her hand and kissed her palm, taking a deep breath. Emotionally, it always hurt talking about his parents and his past but telling Starfire did make it  _somewhat_  easier.

Starfire yawned, trying to stifle it but failed. Robin smiled at her and turned to look at his bedside clock which flashed  _2am_  at him.

"Hm, later than I thought." Her sleepy expression was adorable and he couldn't help but tease, "Are you tired, Star?"

She gave him tired smile and rubbed her eyes, "A little. It has been a consuming few days."

Robin tilted his head in sympathy, "The price of circus life."

Starfire touched his cheek and nodded. He leaned into her hand before his blue eyes found her green ones,

"Do you wanna sleep in here tonight?" He asked, hopeful,

"Mhm." She replied, nodding and curling up like a cat. He blinked at her in disbelief before he burst out laughing at how literally she had taken that. She didn't look like she wanted to budge any time and he assumed she was fairly sleepy.

She peeked open one eye to look at him curiously.

Robin rested a hand on her waist, "You might wanna change, Star? You'll be really uncomfortable otherwise."

Making a little huffing sound, she thought better of her decision to just sleep where she fell and slowly sat up.

He shook his head and got up, wandering over to his chest of drawers. He dug through them and picked out sweats and a white beater for him to wear. Being bold, he simply undressed before his girlfriend who, when he glanced over his shoulder was looking decidedly awake as she ogled him.

"Something caught your eye there, Star?" He cheeked,

She made a soft noise of agreement, "Perhaps..."

He laughed and after pulling on his bedclothes, he spun back around to look at Starfire who had begun twisting the gem of her neck guard last time he checked.

As his eyes fell on her, his cheeks became as hot as fire and his eyes widened. She'd removed every little article of clothing other than her armband, gauntlets and underwear.

Robin found himself frozen in place, eyes glued to her most exposed area. He couldn't help it. She was beautiful and it was hard to look away.

Her giggle broke his trance as she shifted, tilting her head at him, "Is something wrong, Robin? It is not like you have not seen me without the shirt before." She teased,

He rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled nervously, turning to grab something from the drawer again, "True but..." He threw a soft, grey  _Gotham_  jersey to her which she caught with minimal effort,

Starfire raised an eyebrow.

Dragging a hand across his face, he groaned, "Please, Star. For my own sanity... wear the jersey."

She gave him a flirty look and considered the jersey with little interest, "And... if I choose not to wear it?"

He crossed his arms over his chest and grinned, "Then you'll wake up with hickeys all over."

Laughing, his Princess gave in and slipped into the jersey which ended up being quite baggy on her and fell to just below her hips. Starfire hugged the material to her skin and smiled, "It is so soft."

She stretched her arms above her head and turned over, crawling up the bed towards his pillow. She unknowingly gave him a delicious glimpse of her backside, showing off her white lacies. Robin felt his skin prickle a little more and inwardly cursed hormones. Even at nearly 21 years old, he still blushed and got nervous like a 15 year old.

Starfire slid beneath the comforter and wriggled until she was comfy, giving him a satisfied smile.

Robin briefly tilted his head, noting she'd left her armour on. The neck guard came off but the armband and gauntlets had stayed in place. She never seemed to remove any of those and he wondered if it was a Tamaranian thing; some kind of cultural thing. Maybe it was significant for warriors and was something akin to dishonour to take it off.

He shook his head and smiled as he joined her beneath the comforter, deciding it could just be a Starfire thing. She  _had_  still been sleeping with her head hanging off the end of her bed until they'd started sharing one.

As he shifted on the mattress, he sighed at the instant heat radiating from Starfire's body. He swore he could never grow tired of Starfire being like a cuddly furnace.

Holding his arm up in invitation, Starfire happily moved beneath it, snuggling in enough so that their foreheads touched. He gently kissed her nose but then thought about it again and planted a little kiss on her lips, making her smile.

Robin pulled away for the shortest moment before he went in for another kiss. A longer one. His lips fit perfectly against hers and they could practically feel the sparks between them. Starfire gripped the front of his beater whilst his fingers got lost in her mass of red hair. He slid them back, cupping the base of her skull and gently massaging behind her ears.

He grinned as he felt the familiar bout of purring vibrating through his own chest from hers. She was so cute.

Their kisses went on for a couple minutes before Robin took a daring chance and pushed her onto her back, rolling as well until he was on top of her; careful not to put weight on her though. He didn't want to suffocate her, after all.

It was nice to know they could do this and Robin didn't have to worry about taking things accidentally further than they meant to. Both of them knew they would discuss it first and no matter how hot things got, they'd be responsible.

Starfire giggled as he nibbled her lower lip and slid his hands up from her waist to her ribs but he stopped there, not daring to go higher without her consent. He kept kissing her, content to remain that way if so be it.

She pulled back, brushing her knuckles over his cheek and whispered, "Robin... you do not need permission to touch me."

Robin was sheepish, "I just... like to check. Just in case."

Her eyes lit up with love for her boyfriend, pulling him down into another deep kiss. She loved how gentle and respectful he was when it came to physical intimacy. He never pushed her to do anything she wasn't comfortable with and that warmed her. She had read how not all humans were as sweet as her Robin.

Having been given the green light, Robin slipped his hands beneath the jersey until he cupped her breasts, giving her an appreciative squeeze. His lips found Starfire's neck and the exposed part of her shoulder and he started peppering kisses all over her.

She let her head fall back onto his pillows, gazing up at his ceiling. Starfire closed her eyes, honing in on how wonderful it felt to be the centre of Robin's attention like this. He always had so much on his mind and so much weight to bear on his shoulders that when moments between them rose, she never let them pass her by.

Her fingers became lost in his hair and she effectively wrapped her arms around his shoulders to hold him as close as she could get him without crushing him to her chest.

But, as Robin's kisses became a little firmer, her skin got a little cooler and that sickening twitch in her stomach started to wash over her in waves, getting stronger by the second.

Starfire's eyes snapped open and she swallowed a lump in her throat, trying to desperately push the feelings away. Her brows furrowed as her body refused to listening.

Her heart started to race and her pulse quickened unsteadily. Her mind started idly drifting to memories that were far from pleasant. She bit her lip and inwardly pleaded for the bombardment of memories and emotions to just stop.

Robin was different. He was kind and loving. He would never hurt her; ever. She  _knew_  this and yet it didn't seem to be enough to wane the horrible feelings swirling inside of her.

She knew the other feeling that kept throbbing away in her chest, too.

 _Guilt_.

Robin pulled back, alerted by how stiff she'd become, "Star? You okay?"

Starfire blinked and gave him a forced smile, "H-Hm? I... I am wonderful, Robin."

"You sure?"

She nodded and grabbed the back of his neck, bringing him back down into a searing kiss. Robin was hesitant but his hold on her got tighter and he ran his tongue against her lip, just to play.

His hands, which had slipped from her breasts the minute she froze up rested at her waist. He gripped her hips as he continued to kiss her, rubbing his nose against hers every now and then.

Starfire felt the pulsing fear and bad thoughts start to ebb as Robin slowly became her focus. Everywhere he held her and the way he kissed her; that was all that mattered.

Her heartbeat started to calm and she took a deep inhale through her nose.

Idly playing with the hair at the back of his neck, Starfire sighed in relief that the feelings were going and were quickly being replaced with feelings and thoughts of Robin instead.

Her skin felt electric everywhere he touched her. This is what she wanted to be thinking about; nothing else.

She smiled as his tongue slipped against hers and the heat between them intensified. Her cheeks felt flush and she could feel he head spinning with desire and an overwhelming love for this man.

Robin's hands roamed upwards, over her sides and over her ribs. Starfire moaned quietly and let her arms fall above her head, all the while he panted; his breath fanning her neck.

"I love you." He whispered, kissing her earlobe.

Starfire's eyes fluttered and she lost herself in his touch, unable to even pinpoint where his hands were. They slid up her shoulders and up her upper arms.

Robin kneeled over her, trying to be as physically attentive to her as possible. She was a Princess and whilst he didn't always treat her like one, sometimes, he'd at least try to make up for it.

Taking a deep breath, Starfire felt like she was floating and thought she must be, considering how happy he was making her.

He moved his hands up again and again.

Robin gripped her wrists and pinned her to the pillows, trying to be a little playful.

Starfire's face drained of colour and her eyes snapped open. Her stomach felt cold and her heart thudded at a rapid pace. Terrifying memories plagued her mind, flitting and flashing all at once.

She jolted and sucked in a ragged gasp, instinctively pushing Robin away.

He let go of her completely, scurrying back a little to look over her, convinced he had hurt her in some way.

Cautiously, Robin reached out and cupped her now clammy cheek, "What's wrong? Wh-What did I do?"

Starfire sat up and rubbed a hand over her face whilst the other touched her chest, keeping a tab on her heart rate.

Blinking several times to relieve herself of the tears in her eyes, she looked up at Robin. She immediately shook her head. It was so very like him to blame himself, thinking it was  _him_  that had done something.

"N-Nothing is wrong... and you certainly did not do anything... apologies, I... believe I am... not feeling well." She lied, keeping her eyes downcast.

She saw Robin relax somewhat out of the corner of her eye.

"That's okay..." He murmured, brushing her skin with his thumb, "Do you want me to go get you some water?"

Lifting her head, Starfire smiled softly at him. He was so kind hearted and thoughtful.

She sighed and shook her head, "I am okay... just... please may we simply do the cuddling tonight?"

Robin gave her shoulder a light squeeze, "Of course, Star. Here, lie down."

Doing as she was told, Starfire settled back in amongst the sheets, getting cosy and trying to ignore the throbbing guilt and fear still gnawing in the back of her mind.

He tucked the comforter around her before getting in beside her and pulling the comforter over himself as well.

Wrapping an arm around her waist, he brought her back against his chest and kissed her shoulder.

Starfire absently played with his fingers that were against her stomach, "Apologies for-"

"Hey, don't worry. It's not your fault you're not feeling good, baby."

"I believe I will feel better in the morning."

She felt him nod, "I bet you will. Maybe it was something you ate earlier on or something?"

"Mm, perhaps."

He gave the shell of her ear a tiny kiss, "Night,  _otu n'anya_."

Starfire brought his hand up and kissed the back of it before whispering back, "Pleasant shlorvaks, my love."

As they both got quiet and Starfire heard Robin's breathing even out and his grip on her hips loosen a little, she realized he was asleep.

She lay there, her heart thudding as she stared into the darkness; only a slither of light provided by the moonlight through his window.

Bringing her arms in on herself, Starfire carefully rubbed at her wrists through the material of the jersey and the gauntlets.

Starfire frowned sadly, a single tear trickling down her cheek. She knew, deep down, that Robin deserved to know the truth about her. He had been so honest and open with her and she had felt so honoured he had done that.

The guilt of him not knowing was eating away at her and was filling her with so much anxiety; a level that she had never felt before.

She knew she should have told him a lot sooner and now that she'd left it for a long time, she feared his reaction and she had no clue on how to even approach the subject.

Sniffling, she turned her head into his pillow and snuggled back into him as much as she could.

Starfire knew that she needed to tell Robin the truth, no matter how terrified of the outcome she was.


	28. Chapter 28

**_She couldn't scream._ **

**_Not a single sound._ **

**_She couldn't see._ **

**_Everything was shrouded in darkness with only the smallest stream of light reaching in from the rectangle window at the very top of the cell._ **

**_Pain radiated throughout her entire body. It was like someone had dragged a blade across every inch of her skin._ **

**_It hurt to breathe. With every rise of her chest, searing agony burned her lungs and her throat felt as though someone had lined it with sandpaper._ **

**_Piercing screams. She could hear the sickening sound from down the hallway and vaguely wondered who the unlucky one was this night._ **

**_Her heart was hammering in her chest, her wrists throbbing and her laboured breath was harsh against the material strapped across her mouth._ **

**_Flashes of scaled demons standing around her. She could feel their hands on every inch of her, grabbing her each time she tried to pull away._ **

**_Her skin crawled the minute one of them dragged a finger down her bare back._ **

**_She shuddered, considering whether or not to try and fight this time. It hadn't worked last time._ **

**_Or the time before that._ **

**_Hissing._ **

**_Cackling._ **

**_Green eyes widened in terror as blood splashed across the wall just outside of the dirty, dingy room she was being held within. She shook like a leaf, watching the fresh blood trickle down the tiles; acutely aware that the screaming had abruptly stopped._ **

**_They were holding her down, forcing her to desist in her attempts to escape this fate._ **

**_Her heart rate skyrocketed and she tried in vain to scream out, to hope that someone, anyone would hear her and help her._ **

**_No one came. No one ever came._ **

**_She tried to call out, only for the sound to come out muffled and distorted, falling upon deaf ears as it always did._ **

**_Her stomach lurched as she caught sight or something sharp in the hand of the demon standing at the foot of her mattress._ **

**_Fire ricocheted through every fibre of her body._ **

**_Stinging. Aching. Smouldering._ **

**_A flash of claws coming straight for her._ **

Starfire bolted upright, screaming and thrashing. Her skin was cool to the touch and she was covered in sweat.

Her breath came in harsh pants and she gripped the sheets so tight, they tore slightly.

"Starfire!"

A hand on her shoulder, giving her a gentle shake.

She flinched, turning towards whoever was touching her with a fist raised, ready to unleash a starbolt.

A startled Robin stared back at her, lifting his hands to show her he wasn't going to hurt her.

Starfire's eyes were wild with fear and her body was tense, every sense she had on high alert.

"Star?" Robin whispered, "It's okay, baby... it's only me."

She hiccupped a breath, her lip quivering and she merely stared back at him. Her face felt damp but she knew it was more so because of the tears rolling down her cheeks.

Biting his lip, Robin carefully cupped her heart shaped face, brushing the tears away with his thumbs.

"Starfire? Are you okay? What's wrong?" Robin breathed, the concern clear from his tone,

Shaking her head, she felt dizzy and unable to think clearly. Her mind was fuzzy and still filled with pictures of her fears. She knew it was a dream and gave into a shaky sigh, wishing it was  _just_  her imagination.

She rested a hand on her chest whilst the other lifted to her forehead. Starfire swallowed the lump in her throat and sat up some more, trying to inhale as much air as her lungs would allow.

"I-I am sorry... I-I believe I was having... the mare of night.

Robin narrowed his blue eyes at her. He wasn't an expert on the mind and how it worked when people were asleep but even he knew that was much too violent and vocal to simply be a nightmare. It was more like a night terror but much more intense.

He'd woken immediately as she started screaming and never before when he'd seen her experience nightmares had she reacted like that.

Deciding to wait until she was calmer, Robin tangled his fingers into her damp, auburn hair and rubbed below her ear. He kept at this for a few minutes, just waiting in silence for her to relax a little.

Robin watched her closely, waiting to see if she would have any more terrified outbursts. She seemed dazed and he wanted to make sure she was all here with him before he even thought about asking any questions.

His eyes trailed over his girl. Her skin still felt cold which was most peculiar; Starfire was always hot to the touch considering her temperature ran higher than any human.

She was still shaking like a leaf and simply stared at his bed sheets which were all bunched up on her lap. Her skin glistened from the veil of cold sweat coating her face and neck.

What troubled him most was the vacant, glazed look in her usually, vibrant eyes.

"You had a nightmare?" He murmured, hoping she'd talk about it with him.

Starfire gulped and nodded slowly.

Her lower lip trembled again and her voice was thick with emotion, "I-I am sorry... I did not mean... to wake you-"

Robin rubbed her long hair soothingly, "Hey, no, don't worry about it. Do you remember the nightmare? Do you want to talk about it?"

She lifted her head to look into those gorgeous cobalt eyes of his; the eyes that made her feel so very safe. Her chest panged in sadness. She shook her head and opened her mouth several times, failing to speak with every movement.

Gently, she touched his hand, "Robin-"

Suddenly, there was an insistent knocking at Robin's door.

He squeezed Starfire's hand reassuringly, noting that she stiffened up at the sound. Robin turned his head towards the door,

"Yeah?"

It slid open cautiously and Raven poked her head in the small gap, "Hi... sorry for intruding... we heard Starfire screaming. We... got worried."

Starfire glanced up at her best friend, seeing Beast Boy and Cyborg at her shoulders. She smiled to herself; just a little smile.

Her family was so wonderful, checking on each other when there was a problem.

"Are you okay, Star?" Beast Boy whispered from under Raven's arm, blinking at her with deep concern,

She felt a wave of remorse wash over her; angry with herself for letting her inner demons manifest in a way that now disrupted her friends too.

Robin maintained his gaze on Starfire as he told them, "She had a bad nightmare."

Beast Boy and Cyborg visibly relaxed, glad it was nothing too serious and that their sister was alright.

Raven, on the other hand, picked up on what Robin had. Her dark eyes narrowed on her friend, trying to gauge how Starfire felt.

"But... you're alright?" She murmured,

Starfire paused before she answered Raven, wondering how much her empathic friend was reading into her emotions.

She nodded and fixed a fake smile to her face, "I am... I... apologies for causing trouble and interrupting all of your sleep cycles."

Beast Boy smiled sympathetically, walking closer to her, "Don't sweat it, Star. We'd rather than than find out something really bad happened to you."

He suddenly morphed into a kitten, something familiar that Starfire was usually soothed by.

The changeling hopped up onto the edge of Robin's bed, butting his furry forehead against Starfire's shaking hand; signalling he wanted her to stroke him.

Purrs erupted from the back of his throat, growing louder the more she scratched his ears.

Robin look at Beast Boy and was glad for the animal distraction. Whilst initially, Robin wanted to throw any sharp weapons at Beast Boy for the closeness he shared with Starfire whilst in the form of a cat, he was glad they'd built that bond over the years.

Starfire couldn't get all her reassurance from just him, after all.

She caved into a tired smile and Robin noticed her shoulders dropping and her demeanour seemed to return to normal after a few minutes.

The Princess was still very aware of her boyfriend staring at her and she knew why. He'd never call her out on it but he knew there was more than she was letting on about her  _nightmare_.

"C'mon, you... we should all probably go back to sleep." Raven stated, watching as Beast Boy licked Starfire's hand once before jumping down and turning back into his usual self.

"Friends... again, I am sorry."

Cyborg smiled, "Stop apologising, little lady. Not your fault you had a bad dream."

"Thank you for checking on me... I believe I am quite settled now..."

Raven shifted her gaze from Starfire to Robin who equalled her expression right back. It was unspoken but she understood that Robin didn't want her to pursue the oddness surrounding Starfire's nightmare.

"We'll see you two in the morning, alright? Star, glad you're feeling a bit better now." Raven whispered before all three of the Titans left, closing Robin's bedroom door behind them again.

Starfire couldn't seem to meet Raven's gaze, making the empath all the more suspicious as she left. But, Raven deduced that Starfire would tell them if something was truly bothering her so she left it alone.

Cyborg and Beast Boy nodded in correspondence to what Raven had said with Beast Boy giving a happy wave and a call of, "Night guys!"

When the door softly clicked shut, Robin glanced over at his girlfriend again. He tilted his head and simply waited until she was ready to speak again.

Starfire's eyes fluttered a little before she took a deep breath and meekly looked at Robin who was still rubbing her back in slow circles.

"Do you feel like talking about it?"

She shook her head, "I-I do not remember details... I merely felt frightened upon waking."

He gently brushed some of her hair behind her ear, "That was obvious... maybe you had something before bed to give you the bad dream."

Furrowing her eyebrows, Starfire replied, "I do not understand."

Robin smiled, "Well, there's supposedly certain foods that can trigger nightmares and such if you eat it late at night. It's silly but you never know. It could explain why you were feeling a little unwell before we fell asleep too?"

Starfire blinked a few times before forcing a tiny smile onto her lips, "Perhaps... you are correct."

She shivered, prompting Robin to scoot even closer to her, one hand falling to rest on her knee, attempting to give her support.

He was watching her very closely and one thing above all else was clear to him,

"Don't get many nightmares, huh?"

Shaking her head, Starfire clasped her hands together on top of her lap, "They are mostly infrequent however... they trouble me when they  _do_  occur."

Robin pressed his fingertips into her skin a little firmer, "Nightmares are never nice, Star."

Starfire shuffled, turning to curl up against Robin's chest, her head resting against his shoulder. Robin's brows knit together as he stared down at her,

"You're safe, Star... I've got you." He murmured,

She sighed and rubbed her cheek against his neck, "I know."

He brought her back and left a hand on her back, staring into her green eyes, "It's okay... whatever it was in the nightmare... it wasn't real, Star. It was just a dream."

Staring at him, she felt a pang of remorse at how very wrong he was about that.

Suddenly, he pulled back from her, gifting her with a soft smile, "Hey, how about you get all comfy and I go grab some water for you, huh?"

Starfire gave him a weak smile in response, "Thank you, my love."

Robin flashed her that signature, boyish grin of his, pecked her lips and got up, heading out towards the kitchen.

Watching him until he left, Starfire's smile melted the instant the door shut behind Robin. Her lip trembled as fresh tears welled in her eyes.

She felt riddled with unease and fear and guilt. There were so many things she wanted and needed to tell Robin but she was  _so_  afraid that he wouldn't understand things that occurred in her past.

The tears inevitably rolled down her cheeks as thoughts and memories clouded her mind but she tried to compose herself so that nothing seemed amiss when Robin returned.

Robin loved her. And she loved him; very much. Surely, he would understand. He would be supportive of her.

He always was. She just had to find the right time to tell him.

As she moved around the kitchen, Starfire found herself humming a happy tune. She took a whiff and could already smell the aroma of Zorkaberry pie baking away in the oven. She'd made plenty for all of her friends; she knew how much they enjoyed the confectionary.

And  _that_  was rare when it came to Tamaranian recipes.

It had been just a few weeks since Starfire's vivid nightmare. She hadn't had any more terror filled nights since then but she was still a little hesitant when falling asleep. She didn't want to dwell on the fact she hadn't had any more bad dreams in case it spurred one on.

She momentarily frowned to herself as she dusted her hands off on the kitchen towel on the counter.

Starfire had still refrained from telling Robin about her past. No matter how she tried to plan it out in her head, she worried for what he would say. Whilst the bigger part of her knew he would comfort and support her, there was the dark voice in the back of her mind that was warning her not to tell him.

That dark voice kept taunting her, convincing her Robin would turn away from her and would be disgusted with the things she had done.

She especially hadn't wanted to mention it as his 22nd birthday had passed, not even a week ago. It had been small and subtle, as Robin usually kept his day of birth. He wasn't one for big parties, especially when he was in the spotlight of attention. So, they'd invited the Titan network over for a night of pizza, video games and cake.

Starfire had stayed by his side practically the whole night, showering him in affection despite how flustered he got. He didn't truly seem to mind though considering he had responded with this little smile each time.

He had been happy.

On top of that, Slade hadn't made a single move since attempting to shift his explosives through Haly's. He'd been suspiciously quiet but Robin had stated they were as ready as they could be for him to strike.

But, with Slade being silent, it allowed Robin a lot more time to relax and hang out with his friends; something Starfire was glad for. She hated seeing him cooped up in his office, hunched over files and clippings of Slade. It wasn't good for him or anyone else.

Starfire sighed.

Not to mention, they were only about a month and a half away from their one year anniversary; something that made the Princess' heart sing every time she thought about it.

With everything being so good at the moment, Starfire felt the time definitely wasn't right. Robin was so carefree right now and that was not a common thing; she didn't want to be the one to ruin it.

She decided she would wait a little longer; sort out in her mind exactly how she was going to explain things to him. He deserved a proper explanation after all.

He had gone to so much trouble to sit her down and reveal his own past; something she knew was  _not_  easy for him to do.

Lost in her thoughts, Starfire jumped in fright when the buzzer for the oven went off, signalling that her baked goods had reached their golden peak of flavour.

Starfire grinned and tugged on her pink oven mitts, floating to open the door of the stove. She pulled out the dual cooking trays and set them on top. Giving the oven door a light tap with her foot, it closed and she beamed down at her baked creations.

The smooth crust was crispy and golden and the sweet yet bitter scent of Zorkaberry was heavenly as it wafted around the kitchen so much it made her mouth water.

"Glorious." She murmured, putting the oven mitts back where they belonged.

Two strong arms snaked around her stomach and she felt him nuzzle his face into her neck.

Starfire laughed, "Robin! Be careful... the Zorkaberry pies are of scalding temperature!"

He gave her ear a kiss, "So,  _this_  is what you've been up to whilst the others are out."

She sighed and leant back against him, nodding her head, "I was aware you were completing the paperwork regarding our mission on Friday and I did not wish to disturb you."

"You know Zorkaberry pie trumps work, Star." He teased, making her giggle once again.

He peppered kisses over her shoulder and she smiled, feeling tingles cascading over her skin.

"You are most affectionate today, my love." Starfire pointed out,

Robin turned to look up at her and pouted, "Hey, I'm usually affectionate... aren't I?"

She raised an eyebrow, "You are however, not when we are usually in the common area."

He shrugged and rolled his eyes, "Cyborg and Beast Boy aren't here to taunt me."

Turning in his arms, Starfire wrapped her arms around his shoulders and gave him a bright smile, "You are finished with criminal reports?"

"Mhm. I'm all yours for the rest of the day."

"Glorious." Starfire breathed with a tiny smirk.

Robin chuckled as she pressed her lips to his. She was firm in her actions, even when she slid her fingers up his neck and into his dark tresses. He smiled into their kiss, strangely in love with the fascination she had with his hair.

Starfire hummed a laugh as Robin's hands travelled down, giving her rear a playful squeeze. He ran his tongue against her lower lip, seeking entrance which she happily gave him. Robin played with her lip, tasting her for as long as he could.

It wasn't often that they got to be alone like this so with Raven and Beast Boy out seeing the newest slasher movie and Cyborg visiting Bumblebee over at Titans East, he felt he could be calm and sensual with his girl.

Sensing he was becoming a little more handsy, Starfire tugged on his hair, causing Robin to smirk beneath the kiss. He grabbed the back of her thighs and easily hoisted her up onto the edge of the kitchen counter.

Starfire giggled as they pulled apart, resting their foreheads together and staring into each other's eyes.

Suddenly, there was a disgusted warble from the far side of the counter.

Bursting out laughing, Starfire was amused to find Silkie practically scowling at them. Robin looked over at their resident pet with distaste.

"Seriously? The others are all out and you're the one interrupting us, Silkie?"

The worm merely gurgled a jealous sound,

Robin raised his eyebrows at Silkie, "Hey, don't get all grouchy with me, bud. She's mine too, y'know."

Starfire smiled and kicked her legs back and forth before she leaned in and nipped Robin's earlobe.

"Perhaps, we should move to another location as to not cause Silkie more of the envy."

Her boyfriend grinned and stood back, offering his hand for her to take, "What an outstanding idea."

She gave Silkie a pat on the head as they passed him, on their way to Starfire's bedroom.

"Do not eat all of the pie please, my little bumgorf!" Starfire called as they approached her door.

Robin snorted, "I don't know why you bother. You know he's gonna demolish about half of one, at least."

Starfire giggled as she fell backwards onto her round bed, her red hair sprawling out around her, "Hm, but it is worth the shot."

He joined her, hands on either side of her on the bed and hovering over her just enough so that he wasn't crushing her body under his own weight.

Trailing her fingertips up and down his arms, a mischievous expression formed on Starfire's face, "I believe we still have time until our friends return home, Robin. What do you propose we do?"

Robin mocked consideration, "Oh, I'm sure we can fill the time... I'm thinking... we stay here a while, get some kisses in and then we go and stuff ourselves silly with some Zorkaberry pie. How does that sound?"

She offered him an affirmative nod, "That sounds perfect."

The Boy Wonder leaned down, his lips just brushing hers, "I thought you'd agree."

Starfire laughed a muffled laugh as Robin crushed his lips to hers, his hands wrapped around her waist.

She stifled a sigh of content. She knew there were things he needed to know; things she needed to voice but right now, being like this with him was the happiest she had been in a long time. She loved Robin with every fibre of her being and she adored moments like this; where they could simply be together without worrying about being sprung and called out by their two troublesome teammates.

Unclipping his cape, Starfire briefly eyed the material as it fluttered to the floor. Her fingertips pressed into his shoulders, before tugging his shirt away from his belt and over his head.

Robin chuckled in surprise, breaking away from her lips long enough to murmur, "Oh, so that's the way you want it..."

Starfire cheekily bit her lip as one of Robin's hands found the gem on her neck guard and quickly divested her of the piece of uniform.

Hands moving to her ribs, Robin began pushing the material of her halter top up her body, a rippling shudder down his spine as he grew more and more eager with her.

Soon enough, he was rewarded with Starfire's naked chest. His eyes alighted on her breasts that were steadily rising and falling to match her breathing.

Robin was curious. He raised an eyebrow at her, "No bra today?"

Starfire cheekily shrugged, "I did not feel like wearing one today."

He laughed, "Good to know."

A purr began to rumble through Starfire's chest, intensifying considerably as Robin covered her right nipple with his mouth whilst one of his hands kneaded the other breast.

Gasping, Starfire threw her head back, feeling ignited by the passion between them today. Her fingers laced through his hair, effectively tethering him to her chest; not that Robin seemed to mind of course.

Her legs wrapped around his waist to pull him down to her and she moaned, feeling his arousal brush against the inside of her thigh.

Robin growled in frustration and tore his gloves from his hands, wanting skin to skin contact with her. The heat from her golden skin electrified his fingers and whilst he alternated between suckling her breast and kissing her lips, he gently tugged on her grey gauntlets.

Starfire's mind was spinning and Robin was the centre of the spiral. Every sense seemed heightened today and every time he kissed or touched her, fire scorched across the planes of her body.

Deciding to be daring, Robin softly bit down on the tender area of her breast, making her cry out in a mixture of pain and pleasure. He was quick to kiss where he had nipped her though, being certain to soothe her.

She remained blissfully unaware of his removing her gauntlets until he pulled away to speak.

"What is this stuff?"

Starfire blinked open her eyes, the fuzziness evaporating from her mind quicker than she thought possible.

She saw him retracting his fingers from the inside of her wrist and rubbing together, noticing a substance.

Her eyes went impossibly wide as she completely froze up. Her heart plummeted to her stomach and she felt nauseous. She could hear her blood pumping in her ears and struggled to focus on Robin who was still cheerfully bewildered.

He smiled down at her, "Star, is this makeup? You know this stuff is supposed to go on your face, right?"

She blinked at him, her breathing become shallower and she gave him an uneasy, nervous smile.

Robin flicked his eyes from his fingers to her wrist and crawled over, taking her hand in his for a better inspection.

"Robin-"

He was lightly smiling but he raised an eyebrow, noticing more orange coloured foundation smeared across the inside of her wrist.

"Wait... you've got something under-"

Starfire swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to pull away but Robin held fast,

"Please-"

Robin looked up at her, concern and fear etched across his face. There was confusion as well and Starfire already knew if she didn't give him an answer, his worry would manifest into anger.

"Starfire... why have you got makeup all over your wrists?"

Her chest heaved as she sucked in a breath; concerned tears making her eyes shine bright.

She shook her head as her voice trembled, "P-Please... it is not of importance. Forget-"

Robin's eyes were wild with questions and queries, absolutely dumbfounded over what he was seeing.

"Not a chance... wh-what is this?" He repeated, an array of speculation flashing through his brain.

Picking up her sheets, Robin hesitantly rubbed at her wrists to remove the foundation.

Starfire shook her head, desperate for him not to see it, "Please! It is nothing!"

Robin stopped as the makeup disappeared, transferring onto the sheets. He dropped the cloth, his hand shaking a little.

His eyes darted from her wrists to her face with Starfire resolutely staring at the mattress, tears leaking down her cheeks.

From her palm to her inner elbow, there were scattered scars all over. They were long, gnarled and deep;  _very_  deep. They looked to be old but were clearly very gruesome wounds. Skin around the scars was withered and her forearms looked like they had been hacked at with something indescribably sharp. It was like something out of a horror movie.

Robin felt bile rise up in his throat and he was flabbergasted as he noted the same on her other arm.

He was at a loss. He didn't know what to think.

If he didn't know better, he'd say they were battle scars from back on Tamaran but, Robin  _did_  know better.

If that were true, she wouldn't have been hiding them.

He slowly glanced up at her.

Starfire hiccupped, her mind spinning but for an entirely different reason than before. She already knew how this situation was going to go. It was going to fall apart. She hadn't planned for this and it was going to look like something else completely.

She sniffled and brought her head up, her heart jolting at the look on Robin's face. He looked pale and confused and something she never thought he could be; not of her.

He looked  _scared_.

"Robin... you must listen to me."

"Answer me, Starfire. Why were you hiding these scars? What is it you're hiding from  _me_?"

Starfire shook her head, "I am not hiding anything!"

He sat back from her, letting her arm fall from his grasp, "No? Those say otherwise, Starfire."

There was a harsh edge to his voice and she knew it came from a place of not understanding.

Robin moved back again, her legs falling away from him. Starfire scrambled for the sheets to at least cover her chest.

He got up and paced across the floor at the end of her bed, running a hand over his face.

"Robin, please... do not be angry-"

Shaking his head, he pointed a finger directly at her, "Don't tell me that. Why the fuck do you have those scars on your wrists, Starfire?  _What_  are they from?"

Starfire flinched at his use of a curse word.

"I-I was going to tell you-"

Robin's breathing had become ragged and he suddenly stopped to look at her, "Were you? We've been together for almost a year now and you've made no mention about anything like this!"

She rapidly wiped at her face, trying to stop the flow of tears that seemed to keep coming, "Yes! I was trying to find a way... I did not know how to-"

He watched her; he wanted to be calm, to understand and be rational but he was thrown. The mutilated skin of her wrists threw him through a damn loop and he didn't know how to react.

"I-I don't understand, Starfire..." Robin stammered, "Is this... something to do with  _your_  past?"

She whimpered, not feeling like this was the best time to give him her story. He was too confused, too riled by emotions.

"And you  _won't_  tell me? Of all people?" He paused, "Do you not trust me?"

Her eyes widened, "P-Please do not see it that way! It is just... I-I..."

"I-I thought we knew everything about each other... I told you everything about my life before the Ttians.  _Everything_. And... now I find out you've been lying to me about yours?"

Starfire frantically shook her head, she could hear the heartbreak in his voice and she wished she could tell him; straighten things out but she felt trapped. She felt like she wasn't going to be able to say anything that would make him understand.

Not yet.

"I-It was not lying... I just-"

He scrubbed his face, "You had so many times where you could have said something... were you ever going to tell me?"

"Yes! I promise! I was waiting for the right time to explain... there is much you do not understand... my life before you and our friends... it is... complicated."

Robin turned his back to her, inhaling a deep breath before letting it out in a shaky breath. He bent down and started picking up articles of clothing, redressing himself.

Starfire watched him with growing dread, "Wh-What are you doing?"

"Look, I-I can't be around you right now."

Her heart broke a little more, "B-But... you must allow me explain!"

Robin threw a glance over his shoulder at her, "Why should I? You haven't once tried to explain... we're supposed to be best friends, Starfire. Above everything else and yet you never said a word."

"I-I was simply not ready to-"

"I wasn't either but I did... for you. I let my guard down to you because I trusted you. I never thought you'd be the one to ever be the one hiding stuff."

Starfire reeled back like he'd slapped her.

"R-Robin-"

He paused as he picked up his cape, clipping it into place around his shoulders. Robin looked at her, "I thought we told each other everything. Don't you trust me?"

His voice was small and insecure. Robin didn't understand her reasoning for her silence because he still didn't know the depth of her past.

She should have known his reaction would have been worse; him discovering the markings over her outright telling him would have always been worse. His mind must have been racing with theories on where her scars had come from. Were they from someone else? Were they from battle? Were they... self inflicted?

Surely he could  _never_ think that of her?

Starfire gulped and got to her knees, gripping his shoulders and staring into his eyes, "I-I trust you more than anyone else in the universe, R-Robin."

He stared back for a minute before shrugging her hands away and slipping his boots on, "Right. Just like the  _Princess_  thing, huh?"

She frowned, "Wh-What?"

"You didn't tell us about that either. Remember? Or did you forget about that too?"

Hanging her head, Starfire was silent. She had no words for him right now. He needed time.

Clearly finding out this way had spooked him which had not been her intention in the slightest and guilt and sadness festered in her heart. She had wanted to do this properly, like he had with her but now it was all wrong.

She caught sight of him placing his gloves on and hurried to catch up, throwing her halter top back on and bounced off of her bed, bolting to the door to block his path.

His jaw clenched as he looked away from her.

Starfire's face was damp from all of her crying and yet more tears pricked her eyes, "I-I do not know... what do you wish for me to do?"

Robin looked at her sadly, "I wish you could have been honest about... whatever it is you've been through. I never would have judged you or anything, Starfire. I thought you knew that and it hurts that... you couldn't feel comfortable enough to just be open with me."

"I-I am sorry-"

"I... need to be on my own for a while-"

He reached for the door, even though Starfire choked out a sob, "R-Robin. Wait, please-"

As the door slid open, Robin growled at the three startled figures, angry that they'd been eavesdropping.

"Move." His voice was demanding and cold but his teammates complied immediately.

Starfire watched him leave until her door closed shut again, leaving her on her own.

She fell to her knees and hugged herself, sniffling and letting the tears drip down her cheeks.


	29. Chapter 29

Starfire lay on her side, tears sporadically leaking from beneath her eyelashes. She tried blinking them away, only for a whole fresh batch of tears to fall instead.

A shuddering sigh fell from her lips and she squeezed her eyes shut, her hands clasped together and forced to her chest.

Her heart was hammering in her chest.

It had been about an hour since Robin stormed out of her room and he hadn't come back. Of course, she couldn't blame him but her heart ached over him.

Sniffling, she brought her hand up to her face, rubbing the wet patches on her cheeks away.

It was absurd; how quickly her mood had plummeted since that afternoon.

She had truly wanted to tell him the truth under better circumstances. Everything happened so fast and she could barely even remember what was said between them before Robin stormed out of her room.

It hadn't been intentional. Starfire hadn't meant to clam up like she did. But, him discovering and growing concerned over her scars had startled her and any chance of an explanation went straight out the window.

Starfire felt ashamed with herself. She hadn't intended to keep her own secrets from him but she had been  _so_  scared of his reaction. There were certain aspects of her life that she didn't know if he would accept or understand. Life on Tamaran was so very different to her life now.

She was different now.

There were decisions she had had to make in her past and she was unsure of how he would respond to some of those. Her heart told her he would not approve and that is what fueled her fear even more.

A light knock on her door surprised her. She hiccuped and turned her head slightly to look at the door.

"Starfire?" There was a pause, "It's Raven..."

She whimpered, "I-I am not the good company at present, Raven."

The empath sighed from the other side of the door, "I know... I can feel your emotions... I just thought... if you need someone to talk to right now..."

Starfire waited. No matter how upset she was feeling; she knew Raven's company above anyone else's would be a refreshing welcome.

Pushing herself into a sitting position, Starfire sighed, "Please... enter, friend..."

The metallic door opened with a quiet hiss, allowing Raven into her dwelling.

Raven's eyes were trained on Starfire and her heart wobbled. She was unused to seeing the Tamaranian so depleted and sad. Waves of anguish and regret rolled off of her best friend and Raven could do nothing really, besides let her emotions wash over her.

She paused, noting how Starfire was bundled up in her covers, knees drawn to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. Her room was cloaked in darkness, a red flag of her downtrodden mood, in Raven's opinion.

The empath frowned and clicked her tongue, flicking the light switch on.

Starfire winced and shied away from the light now illuminating her room.

"Staying in the darkness is much more me, don't you think?" Raven pointed out dryly as she wandered towards her friend.

Giving into a tiny smile, Starfire shifted, and motioned for Raven to sit on the bed in front of her. Starfire knew Raven could feel everything she felt so when the ghost of the smile faded, she didn't have to worry. She couldn't hide emotions from Raven. She was all seeing with that one.

Starfire sighed as Raven sat cross-legged before her. She really wished things had not gone that way between her and Robin. She had wanted to explain things in her own time so that he understood and was properly informed.

Now, because he had seen the scars on her wrists, he had stormed off completely unaware of the truth behind them, thinking all kinds of things about why they marked her skin in the first place.

She couldn't make excuses though. No matter how much she wished it wasn't true, she had been lying to him to some extent. It wasn't intentional and was without malice but she hadn't been truthful and open with him like he had with her. Robin had even gone to great lengths to ensure he told her everything about who he really was.

He deserved the same from her.

Starfire sighed again.

"Second sigh... doesn't bode well." Raven murmured, watching her carefully.

The Princess rested her chin on top of her knees and blinked slowly at her, "You are reading my emotions, no?"

Raven quirked a small smile, "Just checking on how you're feeling..." Her eyes fell to Starfire's body, "And... making sure you're... physically okay."

Starfire suddenly frowned, "Argument or not, Robin would never hurt me, Raven-"

The empath shook her head, "Not Robin... we heard some of what was said."

Her green eyes closed, "Oh."

"Scars?"

Starfire reopened her eyes to find Raven staring at her with a great deal of concern. The Tamaranian tapped the inside of her now covered up wrists, indicating where said scars were.

Raven's eyebrows furrowed, "Sorry... it's just, on Earth... when people feel depressed because of bad things that have happened to them... they sometimes self harm and-"

Starfire bristled, realizing one of the thoughts that must have also entered Robin's mind upon seeing the gruesome remainders of wounds.

"Raven, the scars I have are not self inflicted. None of them. I would never mutilate myself. Ever." Starfire replied, defiant on the matter.

Raven held up a hand in defence, "I just wanted to hear it for myself. You hear scars and... a lot of things go through your head."

Starfire sighed, "That is...  _not_  what they are from. I can assure you of that."

She nodded slowly, "But... that  _is_  what you and Robin were arguing about?"

Shrugging, Starfire made a face at Raven who raised an eyebrow back at her, "I'm just... trying to help."

Starfire nodded, "I know..."

There was a pause and Raven was careful not to push. She knew Starfire well; better than most actually but, she also knew that if she pushed  _too_  much, Starfire might kick her out with that warrior wrath they all knew she possessed.

Raven, Beast Boy and Cyborg had been worried when they arrived home to hear raised voices coming from Starfire's room. They'd hurried closer, intending to see what was happening and when they realised it was a fight between the two, they'd found themselves frozen in place.

"The... scarring on my skin has a link with my past... my time before Earth." Starfire admitted, quietly as she stared at her purple bedspread.

"Okay..." Raven responded, hoping to prompt her into sharing a little more, simply so she wasn't bottling all of her feelings up inside.

Starfire sighed, "Robin was... extremely unhappy with me for not telling him of these scars... I believe they did the catching him off guard. He was not expecting to see them... you and I are both aware of how much Robin dislikes things he is unprepared for."

Raven nodded, "He's no fan of surprises, that's for sure."

The Princess shook her head with despair, "Oh Raven..."

She dropped her face to her hands, sniffling anew and breathing deeply in an attempt to quell her guilt and sadness.

Raven sighed, feeling sympathetic for her alien friend. She shuffled closer and opened her arms out a little, a deadpan expression on her face,

"Come on... but don't get too used to hugs from me."

Starfire wept as she crawled up to Raven and threw her arms around her, burying her face against Raven's shoulder. The empath's hands came to rest against Starfire's back as she clung to her best friend.

Raven let her hands glow a light blue colour as she discreetly healed Starfire's emotional pain; not too much so that she would notice but enough to calm her a little.

She patted her back once she was finished, trying to soothe her as best she could.

"So... he was mad just because you had some scars that he didn't know about?"

Shaking her head, Starfire sucked in a breath, preparing herself to explain. She hoped it would help to ease her heart; to talk to Raven.

"I-I believe he became angry because I have been keeping secrets from him... I did not aim to do that at all... I-I was simply scared..."

"Scared of what?"

"His reaction... I... Raven, there are certain things about me none of you know... truthfully, I hoped to never address them even though it seemed inevitable that I would one day have to explain."

Raven touched her arm, "Starfire, I'm not going to make you tell me. Your past is your own. You have to explain things when  _you_  feel ready. If you want to tell us at some point, then by all means. You know we'll be here for you."

Starfire gave her a watery smile, "Thank you, Raven."

"I can understand why Robin is upset... you two share a real closeness. He trusts you the most with things."

Her smiled faded, "Robin was the first person I ever trusted when I came to Earth... his opinion of me... it is important. I wished to explain the issues of my past calmly with him... not... not like this at all."

"I understand... and Robin will too, y'know. Eventually."

Starfire hopelessly glanced up at her, "Will he?"

Raven furrowed her eyebrows, "Of course he will... despite things, that idiot loves you, Star. He's just annoyed at the moment that you kept something from him. He's probably a little hurt as well."

She nodded, "He spoke very much of his opening up and sharing of his own past. I am aware that was not easy for him to do, especially as he has the troubles expressing emotions and letting people in.

Frowning, Raven shrugged her shoulders, "That's likely his biggest issue with this whole thing... he felt vulnerable telling you about something he's kept buried for a long time... so, he probably feels...  _betrayed_  in a sense. He's not used to letting himself be that open with someone and I guess... finding that you hid things from him... it hurt him."

Starfire felt new tears dripping down her cheeks as she meekly looked at Raven, "I-I did not mean to..." Her voice was quiet and sounded very fragile.

Raven smiled sadly back at her, "I know..." She sighed, "Star... you're the closest anyone's ever gotten to him... he  _will_  come to realise that he went off too quickly. Like always."

Shoulders slumping, Starfire twiddled her fingers and sniffled, "His reaction was justified."

"Mm... maybe... but, I speak from experience when I say... sometimes we don't want to bring up the past." Raven glanced down at her pale hands, "We want to leave it exactly where it is. Sometimes, we think it's better off hidden."

Starfire remained silent, but there wasn't really anything she could say.

Raven shook her head, "I tried so hard to keep the prophecy of my birth from all of you. And it was for a similar reason... I had grown to love you all like family. I didn't want any of you to know what I was deep down, in fear you would all turn from me."

"Raven..." Starfire whispered. Raven had never been so verbally open with her about how she felt during the time they learned of the mark of skath and of Raven's bleak destiny.

"I know... none of you would. I know that now... but, it took all of you finding out the truth for me to realize that... just a thought."

Starfire nodded, understanding what Raven meant. She suddenly reached forward and grabbed Raven's hand,

"Thank you, Raven."

The empath squeezed her hand and stood up from Starfire's bed, "It's okay... just come and see me if you need to meditate or something, alright?"

Starfire nodded again, giving Raven a weak smile and watching her as she walked back over towards the door and left, leaving Starfire to her own thoughts again.

She woke with start, her eyes opening with deliberate slowness as she stared straight ahead. Laying on her side, she gazed into a particularly dark corner of her room.

Starfire felt extremely groggy. It was still light when Raven had visited her but now the world was utterly drenched in darkness. She assumed it was late and was only vaguely aware that she fallen asleep.

She felt uncomfortable to say the least.

Her hair was sprawled all down her back and over her shoulder and was still a tad damp from earlier when she had been crying. Her cheeks were scratchy and dry now and she felt a tired sting beneath her eyes.

Yawning, she lifted her head to look at her clock.

 _2am_ blinked back at her.

Starfire sighed, shutting her eyes tightly again. She still felt a little dazed, so much that she almost didn't hear the quiet click of her window or the shuffle behind her.

She frowned, turning over and squinted into the darkness, hopeful of who the sound came from.

"Robin?" She whispered,

It may have been pitch black, but she noticed the flash of colour. She would have recognized it anywhere.

Starfire made to spring from the bed, poised for a fight but he was evidently quicker.

Something zipped through the air and Starfire felt a sharp, sudden pinch in her neck. Her eyes widened as she tried to swipe for him, her efforts going to waste.

She coughed repeatedly and patted around her throat, pulling out a thin dart like object.

Nausea and disorientation was quickly consuming her and she was powerless to stop it. Her starbolts weren't lighting her hands and the strength was evaporating from her body.

She felt weak and woozy and Starfire realized with growing panic that she had been tranquilized or drugged as fatigue started to become her.

Starfire tried to speak but all that came out was a quiet, muffled warble.

There was a smirk in his voice as he merely stood there and watched her succumb to his attack.

She slid down, her legs going out from under her. Starfire slumped to the floor, stretching her hand across the carpet, towards the door, "Robin..."

"I'm afraid not."

Starfire felt her breathing quicken before her vision blurred and her world slipped beneath a veil of blackness.


	30. Chapter 30

Tossing his body to the right for what seemed like the millionth time that night, he felt himself become restless. He turned to the left again and picked his head up from his pillow a few times, trying to get comfy enough to fall asleep.

He growled and finally flung himself onto his back, staring up at the blank ceiling of his room, contemplating things.

Robin hadn't felt this frustrated in months.

There was one thing and one thing only that was on his mind. She happened to be 5'6" with bright, green eyes and long, gorgeous hair.

He sighed as he replayed the events of that afternoon through his mind as he'd done countless times already since it happened.

He'd been so harsh with her. It was no wonder why she didn't tell him things like her past. More than likely, he would have made her feel even worse about it; whatever 'it' was.

Robin hadn't meant to raise his voice nor had he meant the things he said. Those words had come from a bitterness within him during the heat of the moment.

Of course, the scars didn't bother him and it didn't bother him that she had a darkness lurking within her background. He was concerned of course but that may have been due to how she acted about them.

He  _was_  hurt that she felt she couldn't tell him about her life before the Titans. There was no getting around that one. He felt a sadness in his gut over her not trusting him or at least, the feeling that she didn't trust him.

But, he felt guilty about how the conversation spiralled. He hadn't meant to sound so childish when comparing it to his own truth. He'd tried to guilt trip her by explaining how he told her about his history.

Robin closed his eyes in the darkness of his bedroom.

His emotions were conflicted and all over the place to say the least.

Telling Starfire about Haly's and his parents had taken a lot for him to do. He hadn't told anyone about any of it in roughly 10 years so ripping those wounds open again had made him vulnerable; something Robin did  _not_  like to be.

Then, to learn that she had been keeping her own set of secrets; it was a bit like a hard slap in the face. It was simply so unexpected of her. Starfire of all people was the most open and sharing Titan in the entire network practically.

She was always telling them and getting them to participate in Tamaranian festivals and rituals. Although, Robin guessed that those were linked to her home world, not necessarily her life or past.

He felt an assortment of emotions but mostly, he felt regret for snapping at her but also with himself. He knew he shouldn't but he felt stupid and gullible for allowing his guard down so much.

Robin sighed; he still loved and trusted Starfire. That hadn't changed but he was annoyed with different aspects of where the situation was now.

However, the majority of things that were said, he wished more than anything he could take back.

The sight of Starfire's mysterious, withered scars had been a shock to say the least. He never even comprehended the idea that Starfire might have had a troubled past. Considering she was Tamaran's Princess, he always assumed her life had been plush and extremely easy for her.

Despite her issues with Blackfire, Robin had thought her life had been one of royalty and luxury.

Although, he had never actually broached the subject of the state she was in when they helped her to defeat the Gordanians back when they all first met. He merely assumed it was a planet take-over gone awry, with her capture being a key point in surrender plans.

The more Robin thought about it all, the more it made sense to him. She'd never really removed her gauntlets in front of any of them, had always kept her wrists covered in one way or another.

Now though, it connected up a little better; even the vast amount of makeup on her vanity table. In a way, he was mad at himself for not querying any of it or using his training and digging into that, especially as she hardly wore any makeup.

But then, he never would have thought he'd have reason to query it. She was always so honest and upfront.

On the other hand, Starfire was an alien. She could well have had different meanings in her culture for keeping her arms covered. She'd mentioned before how she wore her neck guard as a defence. Tamaranians were brutal warriors and the neck was seen as a weak point.

He supposed it wasn't something terribly obvious.

Robin ran a bare hand through his dark, dishevelled hair. He was angry with himself and a tad annoyed with Starfire, but mostly himself.

He knew really that it wasn't so much anger with Starfire. He was hurting and he couldn't change that. They had some things to talk over, that was for sure.

Deep down, he knew his reaction was the exact thing she had feared.

Robin bit down hard on his bottom lip and with a frustrated growl; he threw the covers back and sat up. He swung his legs over the edge of the mattress and consistently tapped his foot against the cold floor of his bedroom.

He huffed and bit the bullet, hauling himself to his feet and standing up.

His heart raced inside of his chest as he left his room and took the short journey down the hallway before he found himself outside of Starfire's door.

Gently, he brushed his fingertips over the metal engraving of her name across the door. Robin sighed as he stared at the embossed letters, wondering how much he'd made her cry this time.

Would she even want to see him right now? Would she be awake? It was late and it'd be understandable for her to be asleep.

He shuffled on the spot, quickly losing the nerve to speak with her as a chill sparked down his spine. The hallway was quite the intimidating place at 2am.

Robin took a deep breath, closed his eyes and steeled his fist above the door, softly knocking a few times.

Nothing.

Swallowing, he knocked again, only a tad louder this time.

Quiet.

"Star?" He whispered, but loud enough so she'd hear it, "Are you awake?"

Stillness.

Robin sighed, his palm resting flat against the metal of her door. He tried to be rational as he thought about it; she was  _most_  likely asleep as any normal person was. He would definitely be asleep right now if it wasn't for their fight and the guilt wasn't shoving at him. If it was any other night, he'd be wrapped up in the covers, snuggled up to Starfire's back.

He frowned and looked up at the door, "Star..." He began quietly, "I know I'm probably your least favourite person right now and... I know you probably want to throw a starbolt at my head but... I'd really like to talk to you about earlier. I-I was an idiot... whatever it is from your past... you  _can_  tell me. You can trust me with anything and I'll be there for you... I promise."

Tranquility.

Robin cocked his head as there was no sound to follow his words, "Starfire?" He called again,

Utter silence.

He narrowed his eyes, pressing an ear to her door to listen for any deep breathing to indicate she was sleeping. If she was, then he would merely go back to bed and talk to her first thing in the morning. It was already getting on to 2:30am after all.

Robin would have done exactly that except, there was suddenly a whisper of a sound.

Not silence like he expected.

The sound of the wind whistling throughout her room put Robin on edge and he couldn't grasp why. It was very likely she just slept with her window open; she often did that, stating the breeze soothed her and helped her fall asleep faster.

"Starfire?" His voice was sharper and a little louder, "Say something if you're in your room."

When nothing came back to him, Robin made up his mind. He might have been overreacting to her silence but something in his gut made him worry. Without waiting another second, he punched in the override code to her room.

As soon as the door slid open, he bolted inside, glancing around for any sign of the Princess herself.

His heart practically stopped right then and there.

The purple bed sheets were torn, items had been knocked from her shelves and the window was wide open, her violet curtains billowing ominously.

Amongst the disarray of her bedroom, he saw her cracked communicator sitting on the floor.

Discarding the damage of her room, Robin turned every which way, praying that Starfire was simply hiding away but the longer he stood there, the clearer it became that she was  _gone_.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, he grasped his mask from his belt and plastered it across his eyes. With one final look around the room, he forced the emergency button on his communicator and let the siren ring out through the tower and to the other Titans.

Something had happened to his girl and he was determined to find out exactly what it was.


	31. Chapter 31

Furious tapping of the keyboard was what echoed around the otherwise silent common room. Cyborg was frantically searching through the cameras and other features of the security system for the tower.

At the back of the common room, Raven levitated, deep in concentration and thought as she scanned as far as she could for Starfire's whereabouts.

Between them, Robin paced in tight circles, scuffing the carpet with his shoes as he moved. He was teetering on the edge of his emotions. He was deeply concerned; the minute he saw the state of her bedroom he had called them and roused them from sleep.

They'd all immediately started searching for traces of Starfire, the minute Robin had told them she was missing but they weren't having the greatest luck finding any leads,

Robin was fairly certain his back teeth were now chipped from all the pressure he was putting on them from constantly grinding his teeth together. He was worried but he was angry as well; enraged with whoever abducted Starfire from their home. His emotions boiled beneath the surface, rolling together to give him an uneasy feeling in his gut.

There were only a small number of people who would possibly gain something by taking Starfire and Robin had a distinct feeling of who the culprit was. This, in turn, just made his blood boil even hotter.

He could feel the knot of anxiety in his stomach twist and the strong beat of his pulse speed up considerably as he dwelled on the situation at hand.

Robin was trying to be rational and to be the logical leader that was currently needed but it was proving difficult. He loved Starfire; despite things that were going on with them right now, he would hate himself if anything happened to her. It was cutting him up that he could do nothing but wait for signs or signals of where Starfire could be.

He felt helpless and rather defenceless; two things he  _really_  didn't like to feel.

Growing more irritated by the sound of the keyboard by the second, Robin bristled and turned on Raven, his expression one of impatience.

"Raven." He bit out,

The empath opened her dark blue eyes, his voice shattering her concentration into a thousand pieces. She exhaled quietly and lifted her head to look at him, trying to remain passive and keep her tone calm,

"Robin."

His glare intensified and he crossed his arms over his chest, "Do you have anything?"

Raven sighed, "I'm trying but she's out of range or below ground; I can't get a lock on her aura. I can't seem to make psychic contact with her at all."

Robin growled and turned away from her, muttering, "Well, try harder."

She frowned as he went back to pacing around the room. Raven, despite searching for Starfire like her life depended on it, kept getting distracted by the blaring emotions rolling off of Robin in waves. There were a lot of jumbled feelings knocking around inside him but the main one she was reading was  _guilt_.

Raven was a little baffled at that; sure, they argued but it was hardly his fault that someone had broken in and snatched Starfire when she was vulnerable. But, she could see  _why_  he was beating himself up over it.

As their leader, he always tended to bear the burden and concerns when things went south. It was a hard thing to consistently do at 21 years old but he'd been doing it for a large part of his life. She believed it was simply ingrained in him now.

Shaking her head, Raven took a deep breath and let her eyes glow as she mentally tried to seek out her best friend. She knew that she also wouldn't be able to make a connection with Starfire if the Princess was unconscious at all. But, she wasn't going to tell Robin that right now.

Raven powered through, channelling her powers into this as much as she could. She was exhausted and could feel her hands shaking slightly from growing weakness. She'd been at this since Robin got them all up and it was beginning to take its toll.

She noticed Robin halt in his pacing once again and this time, he faced Cyborg.

Raven withheld a sigh of exasperation. She knew they were likely going to argue. Cyborg was equally terrified over Starfire being missing and had instantly thrown himself into scanning security footage from the tower, as well as hacking into public CCTV to see if there was anything there.

He had also swept her room for prints and whilst the result had been lacking, he'd set the computer up to scan those as well. The entire computer area was filled with scans and searches.

But, just as Robin was, Cyborg was on edge too, desperate to find Starfire and knock out whoever took her away. Cyborg was very protective of all of them, especially Starfire and Raven; often referring to the two as his little sisters.

As Raven looked from Robin's scowling face to Cyborg's focused one, she could already feel the hostility in the air and neither had even spoken yet. She shook her head.

"Cyborg. Anything?" Robin's tone was clipped and held a hard edge to it,

The cybernetic Titan exhaled, his fingers hovering above the keyboard for a brief moment,

"I haven't come up with anything yet."

The boy wonder didn't seem to like that answer too much, "How? You got prints from her room, didn't you?"

Cyborg felt his eye twitch a little; he didn't want to get angry but Robin needed to understand that they were all doing everything in the powers to find their girl.

"Yes, but-"

"But nothing. We can't just wait around. We need answers."

The chair spun and Cyborg narrowed his eyes at Robin, barely refraining from gritting his teeth as he spoke, "Man, I'm going as fast as I can, ite?"

"Well, do it faster. She could be hurt or-"

Cyborg got to his feet, towering over Robin, "Yeah she  _could_  be and we both know who to blame if she is."

Robin paused and slowly turned his head to look up at Cyborg. Raven quietly waited, watching with veiled eyes.

"What?" Robin snarled,

Sighing heavily, Cyborg shook his head, "Forget it-"

"No. You got something to say to me, Cyborg? Then just say it."

Cyborg squared his shoulders and looked down at Robin, "Fine. You're the one who made her so upset; to the point of vulnerability. That would have made her an easier target to attack and you know it."

"Excuse me?"

His friend snorted, "C'mon Robin... we all know you're the only one who can make that girl feel crappy enough to the point her powers fail."

Robin shook his head, turning his back on him, "You don't know what you're talking about." He muttered,

"We all heard your argument this afternoon, Robin. Wasn't exactly subtle."

"That has nothing to do with what's going on now-"

"You sure 'bout that?" Cyborg commented, his tone unusually quiet,

Robin growled, try to think of some kind of defensive response but he knew there was something in Cyborg's words that resonated with the guilt gnawing at him. But, just because Robin thought Cyborg was right, didn't make things any easier.

"I know! Okay!? You don't need to remind me that I fucked up! I know I did. And I know, I'm the reason Starfire's been taken. One way or another. I know, okay?"

Cyborg watched Robin, realising he was already beating himself up pretty badly. He frowned, his eyebrows furrowing and opened his mouth to speak but Raven interrupted.

She appeared between the two boys, resting a hand on each of their shoulders.

"Enough." Her voice was calm, void of anger or frustration, "We're all tired and concerned but arguing amongst ourselves isn't going to help us find Starfire any sooner. This is no one's fault."

The last part of her sentence was aimed at Robin and when he lifted his head; his eyes met Raven's sincere ones. He nodded and let out a deep breath, his shoulders hunching.

Silence didn't last for too long between the three of them as it was suddenly obliterated by Beast Boy sprinting into the room, breathing hard.

Robin glanced over at the changeling, his eyes wide with hope that he had found something, "Beast boy! Tell me you picked up on a scent?"

Beast Boy nodded his head rapidly, "Dude, you're  _so_  not gonna like this. I know who broke into Star's room-"

The screen behind them all suddenly beeped before Slade's masked face appeared, that smugness that he always portrayed , completely obvious to them all.

"Good morning, Titans... I hope I didn't wake you."

Robin clenched his jaw and marched over to the console, Slade's voice grating on him like nails against a blackboard, " _Slade_..." He hissed, his eyes already darting around the screen for some sign of his best friend.

"There's the happy tone I live for, Robin." He taunted,

"Where  _is_  she?"

"A little impatient, aren't we?"

Robin slammed his fist down against the panel, "What have you done with her?"

Slade gave into one of his breathy chuckles, the type that made you feel like a small minded fool. A belittling laugh, is what Robin would label it.

"Why, Robin, I was expecting more of a grand threat of sorts."

"You already know we'll find you. I don't need to waste my breath by telling you."

Slade paused before the camera he was using panned out slightly whilst the madman himself reached across for something off screen, a low muffled sound coming from the side.

Robin felt his stomach drop and his blood run cold. There, Starfire lay strapped to a metal panel, her hands and ankles restricted by metal bonds, similar to the ones he had freed her from so many years ago.

She had a cloth pulled taut against her mouth, preventing speech but her eyes were misted with fear. On the outside she appeared fierce as always, that Tamaranian wrath evident in how she held herself but Robin knew better.

Starfire was basically unconscious, her eyes only cracking open slightly before falling closed again. She kept lifting her head to try and communicate but she was visibly weak.

Robin raked his eyes across her body, noting how pale her skin had become, how dark the skin around her eyes were. He wondered why she didn't just break through her restraints; god knows, she would be able to with ease.

That was when he spotted the repetitive track marks dotted over her.

There were needle prick marks littering the inside of her elbow, running up the inside of her upper arm as well. Her neck had the same wounds and Robin felt rage trickled through his veins again.

He knew then that Slade had clearly been drugging Starfire around the clock and it didn't take a genius to work out why he was doing so.

It was a trick of repelling her powers, a way to weaken her so much that she couldn't possibly fight back. Robin knew, if Starfire was at her usual strength, Slade would be no match. His Princess was extremely well versed in fighting considering her warrior heritage.

By the amount of marks on her, he imagined Slade had been sedating her constantly with some kind of injected serum; something to wear her down. The burning core of her energy, alongside her Tamaranian physiology helped her to burn drugs in her system a lot quicker than that of humans.

It gave Robin hope that she wasn't retaining too much of the substance. But, he could see that she was getting docile.

He tried to come across unfazed by her beaten appearance but Robin was unsure whether he was succeeding or not. Her face had a couple bruises forming along her jaw and her chin and her lip had a small cut. Her left arm had a few scratches whilst her right had a distinct burn like mark.

Robin couldn't help but wonder where  _that_  had come from. Her ribs were red and looked quite sore as well.

He felt his eye twitch behind his mask as he stared at his girl. Starfire fluttered her eyelashes, catching sight of him and suddenly yelled something indistinct through the cloth.

Robin felt his heart race as Slade sighed and suddenly, grabbed a fistful of her long red hair and gave a sharp yank. Starfire closed her eyes tightly and winced in pain. Robin felt his hands close into fists on their own accord.

"Now... that's no way to behave in front of your friends, Starfire."

"What do you want?" Cyborg grunted,

Slade held Starfire still whilst he slowly turned to the side, glaring back at the camera.

"It's simple, really. You took something that belonged to me and  _disposed_  of it... I'm merely returning the favour."

Robin heard Beast Boy gasp at the implication of what he was going to do to their friend.

"This is over those explosives? Something so menial was really  _that_  important?" Raven smirked, "Wow... seems you're slipping, Slade."

That seemed to tear a reaction from him as Slade snarled and narrowed his eye before remembering himself.

"Well... I suppose you'll know that I'm not bluffing then." Slade's tone was cool and uncaring, silencing Raven instantly and Robin found himself wondering if all four red demon eyes were showing.

Robin narrowed his eyes and worked to not let his voice crack, "Why her? You could have chosen me. That's what you usually do."

He could practically see Slade's smug smirk beneath the mask.

"Oh, Robin... it had to be her... you may value  _your_  life... but, you value hers so much  _more_."

The boy wonder felt his heart constrict and slowly reared his head back.

Slade glanced at Starfire before looking back to the camera, "Take a lasting look at her, Titans. Time is not on your side today... tick, tock..."

With that, the feed went dead.

Beast boy let out a high pitched whine that sounded very much like a puppy that had been kicked to the curb. Raven hovered near him, taking his hand with her own to soothe his feelings.

"No! Wh-What do we do? We can't just let him-" Beast Boy was cut off by two of his teammates.

Cyborg looked over at Robin, something flickering in both of their faces.

"He let on more 'bout his location that he thought." Cyborg murmured,

Robin was already at the second console and had started tapping at the keyboard before Cyborg finished his sentence. He nodded, "That he did... scanning the factory sign in the background."

Cyborg snorted, "He really is becoming sloppy."

The boy wonder half smirked in response before his face contorted into one of focus. His leg jiggled and he bit his lip as the computer flashed and scanned the surroundings from Slade's little video chat with them.

Inwardly, Robin was trying to convince himself that Starfire was capable of looking after herself, which she was under normal circumstances, but she had looked pretty dazed and that frightened him something awful.

Suddenly, the monitor beeped, revealing Slade's location.

Robin smirked, "It's that old scrap heap warehouse just outside the city, along the docks."

Cyborg slapped his hands together and stood up, cracking his knuckles and preparing for a fight as he grinned, "Well, let's go get our girl back then."

Nodding, Robin turned and stood from the chair, eyeing all of them seriously,

"Titans. Let's move."


	32. Chapter 32

Starfire could sense that her breathing was becoming deeper; more haggard as the time passed with her still pinned to this ridiculous metal panel.

She felt drowsy and it was only getting worse as she was given shot after shot of the serum Slade kept injecting her with. At first, she didn't understand what in X'hal's name it was but soon after, when she felt her fingers trembling and the energy within felt like it was draining from her body, she knew  _exactly_  what he had done to her.

Struggling to stay awake, Starfire forced herself to stay conscious as long as she needed to. She needed to see Robin and her friends; had to know that they arrived to help her which she  _knew_  they would. She just had to fight a little longer.

As she closed her eyes and tried to control her breathing, Starfire found herself growing angrier by the second and it frustrated her even further that the emotion was going to waste. Right now, she could be raining green fire down around Slade if he wasn't refusing her of that honour through his use of brightly coloured drugs.

But, deep in her gut, she was certain that she would get free from her bindings and she would make Slade pay for detaining her in such a way. She abhorred being held captive; it was the known way to light that ferocious Tamaranian fire inside of her. Being restrained like so... it gave her many memories; most in which she didn't want to remember.

It made her feel  _rutha_ ; something she certainly was not.

Slade stood at his console, his back facing her as he checked his Sladebots, going about Jump City to commit petty crimes on his behalf.

Starfire narrowed her eyes and moved her lips as much as she could, licking her lips to give herself manoeuvrability.

With a bit more force, the gag around her mouth suddenly fell around her neck and she let out a deep throated snarl to draw Slade's attention back to her.

"You are a  _Anu Ohia._ " She hissed, eyes so hard they would be glowing if she was able to tap into her abilities.

Slade paused in his movements, slowly turning around to look at Starfire with a sense of curiosity. He made a small sound of amusement and folded his hands behind his back, taking a long stroll towards her.

His calmness in his actions made her inwardly nervous. She wasn't afraid of Slade. She wasn't. She had faced worse monsters than this mere human but having him in such close proximity whilst practically defenceless; it was unnerving.

"Such a foul tone for a  _Princess_ , Starfire." He commented,

Her eyes widened and she struggled for words, believing the high dosage of what he'd been giving her was starting to affect her hearing as well, "H-How did you-"

Slade leered at her, "What? Did you think I'd never done deep rooted research on every single one of you?"

Starfire growled, trying to push away the fear of him knowing all of her history whilst simultaneously trying to convince herself that there was no records of what she'd endured before the Titans. There was simply no way he could know about  _that_.

"They will come for me and we will terminate whatever it is you have planned, Slade." She threatened,

He gave her a cold laugh, "My dear... you have no  _idea_  what I have planned."

She shook her head, "Regardless... we will  _stop_  you."

Slade watched her for a moment before narrowing his eye and he slowly circled her, leaving Starfire to just grit her teeth and follow him with her own eyes.

"I can see why Robin is so taken with you... such fire and determination. Making threats and claiming you'll stop me without knowing  _what_  you're stopping? How very like Robin."

"We are all alike... we fight to save the city whilst you attempt to continuously annihilate it and the lives within. It is my sworn duty to protect the innocent from corrupt and vile creatures such as yourself-"

His mask glistened from the thin light of the broken windows as he tilted his head, lifting an index finger, "Ah... I wouldn't be quite so confident just yet, Starfire... you see, I have a new toy that I'm simply desperate to try out."

Slade reached across the space between them and yanked the gag back up around her mouth, stifling any protests she had to offer.

Starfire narrowed her eyes as he grabbed the large item on the metal desk before him, concealed by a black cloth.

When he removed the sheet, she was shocked to see what appeared to be a fuel tank with straps on the back. Slade slipped it onto his back and Starfire noticed thin tubes running down his arms and attached to the gloves he'd put on.

She was beginning to think he was not talking about a child's plaything.

"Now, every time I receive disrespect or you try to break free... you're going to be in for quite a surprise..." He told her, cryptically.

Starfire swallowed the lump in her throat and her heartbeat started increasing, rising the closer Slade stood.

As he lifted a hand to just near her face, she could hear the swish of the fuel and the sickening odor of gasoline filled her senses, making her head suddenly dizzy.

She shifted her eyes, seeing a dial on the gloves.

The strangest thing was the sheer heat wafting from those gloves of his and she felt a chill in her stomach at the concept of what this 'toy' gave him the power to do.

"Let's have a preview, shall we?" Slade whispered,

The warrior Princess bit her lip as Slade suddenly grabbed her upper arm. He pressed something in his gloves; an inner lever perhaps and ignited a scorching flame. As soon as he touched her skin, she felt the fire he was emitting kiss her skin.

She gritted her teeth and quietly yelped at the sudden shock and pain coursing through her arm. Starfire could smell the stink of her skin burning beneath his hand.

With narrowed eyes, she turned to look at his hand, sure enough seeing flickers of fire from beneath his fingers.

Slade jerked back and pulled his hand away, leaving Starfire to gasp and frantically look at her arm.

The handprint on her skin was a deep pink colour and she could see that a layer had already been burned away. She gulped as she felt the bizarre sensations shooting through the wound.

Burns from fire were an odd wound for the Tamaranian. She was durable as a warrior and highly resilient and yet, fire was something she was not accustomed to and had little threshold for it.

She pictured that dial on the glove and knew it was some form of heat controller. She frowned, knowing that he couldn't have set it very high for her burn.

Slade had created his own sadistic form of a flamethrower. It was unique. It was controlled on his part; tweaked so it came as a steady, fiery flow from his hands.

Starfire tried to think amidst her horror; Slade was dangerously intelligent but he wouldn't have been able to create this weapon of his without help. She tried to consider the possibilities of who had been helping him and supplying him with equipment and materials.

"Now... you don't want that at a higher intensity, do you?" His voice was mocking but he'd made his point.

She simply stared at him with wide, worried eyes. In her current state, there was no possibility of fighting him. She'd already tried when he'd first taken her but now it was futile to even try.

Slade smirked beneath his mask, "That's what I thought... now, just-"

A sudden explosion rocked the building like an earthquake and pieces of the far wall of the abandoned factory warehouse flew everywhere; a cloud of dust hanging in the air.

Relief surged through Starfire as her eyes landed on four familiar figures. Her friends were here and by the looks of it, they came prepared for a fight.

Her heart leaped at the sight of Robin most of all, she'd hoped he would come for her. He always had before when any of them had been in trouble but she had had a shadow of doubt considering the terms they unwillingly separated on.

Slade on the other hand, seemed completely unfazed or at least unsurprised at their sudden appearance.

He merely stepped away from her, turning the heat up on that infernal dial and walked closer to the Titans.

Seeing this, Starfire violently shook her head from side to side, trying to remove the gag again in order to warn her teammates.

"Ah, Titans... you finally made it." Slade offered; that smug tone ever present.

Robin bared his teeth, stabbing his finger in Slade's direction, "It's over, Slade. Let her go.  _Now_." He snarled,

Slade looked down at them from the steel mezzanine area they were situated on; much how a king would look down on peasants and he breathed a mocking laugh.

"Oh, Robin... I don't think so... I suppose, you'll just have to try and take her."

Robin's mask arched in rage and he barked out, "Titans! Go!"

In that instant, her friends dispersed, all on the move to hit Slade from all different angles. Starfire desperately pulled at the cloth and managed to dislodge the gag once more,

"Friends! Stop!" She screamed,

As soon as those words fell from her lips, Slade thrust his hands out, letting fire swirl down on the ground floor of the factory.

The entire team jumped back in shock; Slade hadn't been able to do that in a long time.

Cyborg immediately tried running diagnostics and scans, "How did he do that!?"

Raven narrowed her eyes as Slade clenched his hands into fists before flexing his fingers out.

"Your powers of fire from Trigon were stripped the minute he ditched you as a minion." She pointed out,

"True, Raven. But, I enjoyed them so much... I thought I'd get them back in my own way."

Robin glared at Slade, trying to see past the darkness that partially shielded him. He noticed the gloves but couldn't quite make out where the source of the fire was coming from.

His eyes widened behind his mask as he caught a glimpse thanks to Slade moving ever so slightly.

"Titans! It's the tank on his back that's fuelling the fire. Break it or take him down! Don't let him close enough to burn you!"

Beast Boy was the first to act, morphing into an eagle and soaring above Slade to scratch at his mask and torso with his sharp talons. He did some damage, marking both areas before he morphed into a monkey, waiting gleefully on the railing of the higher floor.

Growling, Slade lashed out and landed a kick straight in the changeling's face, sending him from the higher platform and onto the ground floor below.

Starfire gulped and watched with concerned eyes, trying her best to pull at her wrists. She wanted to be free; to help them in fighting this madman but she simply couldn't break free.

However, she bided her time, knowing Slade hadn't given her an injection in a while. Already, she felt less woozy and lightheaded. She was beginning to feel strength return to her limbs. It wasn't enough to fight Slade yet but it was progress, nonetheless.

Raven lifted off the ground after seeing her boyfriend being kicked aside like vermin. Dark magic glowed from her eyes and encased her hands. She appeared beside Slade suddenly, catching him off guard and wrapped her power around his ankle.

With a yell, Raven yanked Slade up by the foot and tossed him over the railings, hoping his reflexes wouldn't be fast enough to stop the impact but she was wrong.

Slade threw one of his miniature explosives from his belt at her, making her lose concentration. The moment Raven's power evaporated from his foot, Slade turned and flipped, landing his feet on the ground like a sly cat, parading their nine lives.

Robin eyed his friends who were actively keeping Slade busy, giving him the opportunity to get Starfire off of that metal slab. His eyes darted from them to Starfire who was on that upper floor.

He slinked back into the shadows so that Slade would be unaware of him using his grappling hook to reach the mezzanine. He would have simply ran up the stairs but Slade would easily have seen him; preoccupied or not.

Starfire gritted her teeth and clenched her eyes shut, desperately trying to break free from the restraints around her wrists and ankles. She prayed to X'hal she wouldn't dislocate her shoulder from all the jolting she was doing. As she scowled down at the bindings around her feet, her hair fell around her face like a curtain.

She hissed to herself quietly, " _X'hal, o'joo iberibe k'pogara..."_

Suddenly, a warm hand touched her face and she jerked her head away, startled.

Robin filled her view and her shoulders slumped in pure relief. Her eyes filled with love at seeing him, their argument from this afternoon fading from her mind for the moment. She was just  _so_  happy to see him standing in front of her.

"Shh, it's just me." He whispered, caressing her face again briefly.

She sighed his name, her voice soft.

"Are you okay? What'd he do to you?"

Starfire furrowed her brows and shook her head minutely but it didn't matter. Robin caught sight of the raw, burnt flesh on her upper arm and his face contorted in fury. His free hand hovered over it, being careful not to touch her in fear of making it worse.

" _Bastard_..." He fumed, already reaching a hand into his belt to retrieve tools to release her.

"It is not  _too_  painful-" She reasoned but Robin silenced her with a look,

"That's not the point." He stated, "Don't worry, Star... I'm going to get you down and we're gonna go home. You're okay."

Starfire allowed herself to smile but then lost it just as fast, "I-I was unsure if you would come..."

She'd hoped and believed it to her core but there was a tiny slither that had thought he may not.

Robin inclined his head in confusion, "Why wouldn't I come?"

Starfire gulped and tears immediately filled her eyes, "Robin-"

There was a sudden flash of orange and black as Slade jumped up and delivered a roundhouse kick, knocking Robin away from her. She gasped and watched as her friends slowly tried to recover from whatever moves he had dealt them. There were smoking scorch marks burned into the concrete below and Starfire knew, without his little gadget, this fight would have already been won.

Turning back to look at Robin, Starfire felt herself wince as Slade grabbed her boyfriend by the collar and yanked him down, slamming his knee up into his face. Robin grunted and stumbled back, completely disorientated. Shaking his head, Robin fumbled for his bo staff, drawing it as quickly as he could.

He darted forward and Starfire offhandedly had to admire his agility and flexibility. Robin ducked as Slade sunk his fist through the air, aiming for Robin's jaw. The Boy Wonder huffed and came up fast, smacking Slade across the face with his staff before hitting the opposite cheek.

Robin repeated this move, left and right, until there was a quiet, satisfying split.

Slade snarled at Robin who smirked at the deep crack down the middle of Slade's mask. That was the man's cloak and he hid beneath it well. When the mask began to crumble, that was when Slade started to become weakened.

Growling, Slade ran at Robin, diving low to sweep a kick at his ankles. Robin anticipated the move and somersaulted backwards, avoiding Slade's secondary swipe of his fist. Landing on his feet, Robin shifted into a better fighting position and sprinted forward.

He leapt up, spinning in the air before kicking Slade across the face, sending him tumbling backwards with a pain filled grunt.

Robin landed, breathing hard and merely watched Slade before choosing to advance. As he moved in his enemy's direction, Slade turned and Robin noticed another crack along the cheek of his mask.

Enraged, Slade jumped, flipping over Robin's head. As he sailed through the air, he reached down and tugged Robin's cape. He gave a sharp yank, bringing Robin backwards and at the same time as the Boy Wonder was pulled, Slade struck his elbow between Robin's shoulders.

There was a nauseating crunch and Starfire shuddered at the piercing cry that fell from Robin's mouth. Her eyes filled with tears as he sunk to his knees, desperately clutching at his presumed fractured shoulder blade.

"Robin!" Starfire called out, her fear ringing clear in her voice,

Slade towered over Robin, his hands clenched into fists as he stared down. He slowly placed a foot on Robin's chest and started to put pressure on his ribs, drawing another yelp of pain as the bottom two ribs creaked.

Huffing, Slade forced his foot harder against his chest, content when he heard two snaps, so similar to the sound of Robin's shoulder blade breaking.

Robin yelled out in pain, his face scrunching up in agony.

As if he was nothing, Slade used the foot on his chest to kick Robin's side, sending him skidding across the metal of the mezzanine.

Panting, Robin rolled onto his back, one hand grasping at his shoulder whilst the other came around protectively across his ribs. He gave into a shuddering sigh as he tried to get up, failing to do so successfully. He got as far as rising to his knees but his body screamed in anguish.

As he lifted his head to glare at Slade, his blood ran cold and he froze.

There he stood, behind the now vertical metal panelling that Starfire was held to. He pressed a button on the back of the panel and Robin watched as her wrists and ankles were suddenly freed.

Starfire groaned in exhaustion as she began to fall forward but Slade seized her shoulders and pulled her back against his chest. Starfire gulped and tried to reach up and attack but she was still too weak. Her heart hammered in her chest, not knowing what Slade was planning to do.

"I suppose, since she is so  _special_  to you... it wouldn't be right to leave her unbroken too."

Everything happened so quickly. A blur. None of them could have reached her quickly enough to save her.

Placing one rough hand around her throat and the other on her stomach, Slade hissed in Starfire's ear, "Say  _goodbye_ , Starfire."

Robin's eyes widened and he reached out a hand in a feeble attempt to stop Slade.

His pained screech was soon drowned out by her own screams.

Flames engulfed her, starting at her stomach and throat before racing across the rest of her skin like a forest catching alight. Starfire's screams were so bloodcurdling, the Titans froze; rooted to the spot with fear and horror coursing through them.

The stench of burning and bubbling flesh filled the air. The sound was just as bad, a loud roaring and sizzling sound that could make a stomach turn in a mere second.

Her screeching turned to gurgles as she felt bile and blood bubble up in her throat. She thrashed and violently convulsed, her entire body jolting from the shock and the heat surging through her.

Skin peeled back. Blisters began to form. Blood gathered at the centre of the wounds and the dirty blackened marks appeared across her golden skin. Smoke wafted off of her body and the raw burns stretched across the majority of her body.

The only places that now had minimal damage was her lower arms, legs and her face, which had pain and despair etched all over it.

It felt like the torture went on forever when in fact; it didn't last long at all. Starfire's screams stopped and silence enveloped the world as Slade finally ceased with his use of fire and he carelessly took his hands off her, locking eyes on Robin, a smirk beneath the mask.

Her body swayed back and forth before Slade gave her a hard shove, Starfire's listless body falling over the cold railing.

She continued to fall though the air, a horrifying parallel with how she usually danced through the air instead.

Her short fall ended with a loud, sickening thud as her body hit the concrete below.


	33. Chapter 33

The world was suddenly shrouded in complete and utter silence.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion.

He felt like he couldn't breathe, his eyes locked on her body.

No matter how hard he tried, Robin couldn't push the thought away that she was dead. There was still smoke wafting from her and he felt uneasy just from looking at her.

She wasn't moving. Her gorgeous eyes were closed. She was just lying there with the occasional twitch from the horrific after effect of being scorched all over.

Robin couldn't believe what he was seeing. Her hair was covering her face as she lay motionless on the hard, cold floor. Her previously soft, golden skin was torn up with blistered wounds; some were white where the heat had penetrated so many layers of skin.

The putrid stench of scalded flesh still lingered in the air and the raw, bloodied skin that remained was something he couldn't ignore, no matter how much he wanted to.

On top of everything else, his girl had dark red blood pooling around her head.

His eyes were wide with shock as he stared at her. His shoulders shook and it hurt to breathe but he wasn't sure if that was due to Starfire's injuries or if one of his broken ribs had punctured a lung.

Robin's heart ached and it felt like someone had ripped it right out of his chest and stomped on it. If he wasn't so horrified by what had just happened, he knew he probably wouldn't stand a chance of holding himself together.

There was a mountain in his throat and blood pounded in his ears, blocking out the shouting from the other Titans who were quickly rallying towards Starfire. Robin watched from the higher floor, his emotions soon shifting.

Fury and hatred began to bubble deep inside of him. Gritting his teeth so hard, he thought they may crack, his head slowly turned in Slade's direction.

He was leaning on a piece of machinery, lightly panting whilst he merely watched what the destruction he had caused. Robin could sense the smug smirk beneath that chipped mask of his.

Robin bared his teeth and snarled, his whole demeanour turning enraged. He'd reached his breaking point with Slade. This was the final straw.

Launching himself to his feet, Robin grunted and tried to ignore the pain radiating through his limbs. His ribs screamed out in agony and his shoulder made a sickening sound as he moved towards the man he despised most in the entire world. The one who had tormented him for years and had now committed the biggest offence to the boy wonder.

Slade didn't seem to realize that Robin would react in such a way. He let his guard down and Robin staggered across the space between them, delivering a strong right hook to the side of Slade's face, only slightly protected by his slowly crumbling mask.

The madman stumbled backwards, reaching for his chin and clicking his jaw back into place. Robin didn't give him a single moment to catch himself however; he was like a man possessed.

Grabbing the front of Slade's uniform, Robin repeatedly punched Slade across the face, refusing to let up with the determination and wrath so evident in his face.

Slade growled, catching Robin's fist and shoving it away before he lifted a leg, kicking Robin right against his lower ribs.

The boy wonder screamed out in pain and staggered backwards a little before he took numerous deep breaths to clear his fuzzy mind and to give the throbbing in his side a chance to subside.

When he lifted his head, he half jolted to see Slade running towards him.

Biting down hard on his bottom lip, Robin dropped to the ground, spinning and kicking Slade's ankles with enough force that he doubled over, slamming into the metal flooring on his shoulder.

Robin jumped and aimed to land his feet directly on Slade's chest but he rolled out of the way just as Robin came down. The metal flooring wobbled and groaned at the contact but it remained sturdy.

He snapped his head to the side, keeping his sights on Slade. Robin sprinted forward, giving Slade a double smack, one against his throat and an elbow to the gut, completely knocking the wind out of him.

Slade fell forwards a little and Robin felt a sick pleasure at watching him struggle, at seeing him decline as their fight wore on. They were both tired and beaten and broken but this was personal. Robin was nowhere near finished with him yet.

Whilst his back was on display, Robin pulled out two sharp birdarangs and flipped over Slade's hunched body. As he soared through the air, Robin used one of his weapons to slice the fuel tank strapped to his back. It cut all along from one bottom corner up to the top, rendering his little toy completely useless.

He used the other to simultaneously cut the straps holding the tank to his back. It tumbled to the ground, the fuel leaking out of the tank like water flowing from a bottle.

Robin landed on his feet on Slade's other side. He grimaced and placed a hand against his sore ribs, already feeling the dark bruising forming. His shoulder wasn't faring much better either but he'd deal with his injuries later.

Slade spun around to see his creation fall apart and he audibly growled, throwing himself at Robin who smirked and dodged every single swing that Slade dealt after that. The maniac was exerting himself due to his hot frustration and Robin knew it would only be a short time before he was breathless and exasperated.

Suddenly, as Slade moved to punch Robin's damaged shoulder, the boy wonder gripped his wrist, adamant not to let go. He danced around Slade, bringing his arm up around his back, stalling his movements or attempts to break free.

With a snarl, Robin leaned in close, "Let's see how you like it."

As soon as he finished speaking, Robin delivered a forceful blow to the back of Slade's shoulder. There was a satisfying crack and Slade yelped out in pain, slumping to his knees and desperately protecting his injured shoulder.

Robin huffed and towered over Slade who glanced up at Robin, his dark eye daring him to do more. The boy wonder lifted his foot above Slade's half masked face and inhaling deeply, something unforgivable flashed behind Robin's mask and he kicked his foot down.

Breathing heavily, Raven was the first to reach Starfire's side. Her face was paler than usual, her dark eyes wide with worry and she was just barely keeping her emotions under control.

Unshed tears clouded her vision as she stared down at her best friend's body. Starfire wasn't moving at all and hadn't done since she fell which only caused Raven's fear to increase. She swallowed the spiky lump in her throat as something else kept gnawing at her.

Starfire's aura was fading quickly. Hers was quite possibly the brightest and loudest and most vibrant of all her friends and Raven found herself suddenly wishing for it to return. Her aura was quiet and the sorceress was having difficulty getting a lock on it.

Raven looked over Starfire, lifting her hands and letting her periwinkle magic glow around them which kept dwindling. Her fingers trembled as she tried to focus, tried to think where she could start healing her first. She had no idea where the best would be to start. She was hurt all over and in the state of utter shock she was in, Raven couldn't concentrate like usual.

Taking a deep breath, Raven lowered one shaky hand to the back of her head and lightly examined her limbs, moving her hands over the entirety of her body.

Her skin was deeply burnt around her neck and she had blisters across her arms as well as on her stomach.

Raven felt her exterior start to crack a little more as she felt Beast Boy and Cyborg appear at her back. Cyborg dropped to his knees on the other side of Starfire whilst Beast Boy fell down beside Raven, neither of them finding their voices.

"Rae? Is she...?" Beast Boy whispered, his tone broken and scared,

Shaking her head minutely, Raven didn't take her eyes off of Starfire as she murmured, "I-I'm not sure."

Cyborg looked completely lost as he stared down at the woman he referred to as his bubbly little sister. His eyes were unfocused and he breathed hard, "I-I can... I can scan her..." He whispered, but Raven wasn't sure if he'd function enough to do just that.

They all gazed down at their friend and teammate, completely at odds over how to help her. Raven swallowed and reached an unsteady hand out to the wrist by Starfire's head. She needed to know; needed to check if their friend was still alive.

Raven positioned her index and middle finger on the back of Starfire's wrist, praying to Azar that she felt something; anything to show life.

Her face fell and her heart dropped with panic quickly beginning to seep in.

Empty crates suddenly launched across the room, smashing against the brick wall and splintering into thousands of pieces. Raven didn't need to look like the boys did; she knew who had caused that.

Raven shook her head, the tears threatening to spill over as she lowered her head to Starfire's mouth, listening for any puffs of breath.

She waited and waited for something but it was hopeless.

No pulse and no breaths.

Raven sat up straight, her heart racing and her eyes darted frantically around as she suddenly realised how precious time was.

"Sh-She's not breathing..." Raven whispered before turning to look at Robin and screamed in a voice so unlike Raven's normal monotone one, "She's not breathing!"

Those words had an instantaneous effect on Robin.

He looked up from Slade who was lying on the floor on his back, panting and coughing up blood which splattered through the lower part of his mask.

Robin turned to Raven, only seeing his friends surrounding his love. The fire inside of him died immediately and the fight suddenly drained from him. He felt a cold shudder down his whole body and discarded his bostaff like nothing else mattered to him. Not even Slade.

He wanted to catch him, let justice take it's course and have Slade locked up in a penitentiary for the rest of his days but in that moment, the only thing he cared about was Starfire. She came first.

Sprinting as fast as his battered body allowed him to, Robin reached his huddled friends on the floor below.

Colour drained from his cheeks and he sank to his knees on the other side of Starfire's head, opposite Raven. He felt his emotions choke him and he stared down at his best friend.

She looked in an even worse state close up. He desperately tried not to look anywhere other than her face which he could tell himself was just the look of slumber but deep down, he knew better.

His hands, much like Raven's, trembled as he gently touched her cheek. He didn't move her head, in fear of that blood around her skull like a gory crown. He didn't want to make her pain any worse.

Robin stroked her soft skin with his thumb, "S-Starfire?" He whispered, his voice cracking, "Star? Please... baby... w-wake up."

Beast Boy's pointed ears drooped as he kept his forest eyes trained on his sister. He felt Raven's hand find his own and without even so much as flinching, he gripped her fingers, trying to give her the reassurance that he  _knew_  wasn't real.

Cyborg slowly got to his feet and turned away from the scene, the morbidity of it all just too much for the man. He ran his cold hands over his face, coming to rest on the back of his head as the situation started to sink in.

Robin, it seemed, wasn't as accepting as the others, "P-Please... Starfire..."

He swallowed hard and shuffled closer to her, locking his fingers together and performing short, sharp compressions on her chest before leaning down and blowing air into her mouth in an attempt to administer CPR.

Raven watched her brother, those dreaded tears still in her eyes and her heart broke at his efforts. With a tiny sniffle, a single tear fell and rolled down her cheeks as she murmured, "Robin, I don't think-"

His head jerked up and his eyes were hard beneath the mask he wore, "We can't just do nothing!" He snapped, "Heal her! What the hell are you waiting for, Raven!?"

She recoiled at his demand and although she didn't think it would help in the slightest, she decided Robin needed her to try for his own sanity. With her shaking hands, she started to heal the wounds on the arm closest to her, saving her throat and chest area as that would take the most energy.

Robin's eyes flickered across Starfire's whole body. She was so  _very_  still and silent. His heart thumped painfully in his chest and all he wanted to do was cry out in anguish but he knew that wouldn't accomplish anything.

He breathed out slowly and leaned down to press his forehead to hers.

" _Please_... Don't leave me, Star... th-this wasn't meant to happen... Oh  _God_... p-please wake up."

Raven bit her lip and suddenly shuddered as she sensed something or lack thereof.

"Robin..." Her voice was tiny and filled with misery, "I-I... can't feel her aura anymore."

He was immediately defiant and rapidly shook his head, refusing to believe his positive girl was throwing in the towel. She had to know what she'd be leaving behind.

A thought struck him and his head snapped up to stare at Raven, remembering something she had done in his own time of need.

"Raven." He addressed, his leader tone wavering only a little bit, "I need you to do what you did to get through to me when Slade haunted my mind. Remember?"

She tilted her head, furrowing her eyebrows, "Our bond?"

Robin nodded, "Please... can you do that for me to Starfire?"

"You want to psychically speak to her?"

He gave a curt nod.

Raven hesitated, her eyes shifting back and forth, "I don't-"

"Can you do it?"

"Well... yes, but-"

"Do it."

Raven shook her head, looking exhausted from the dire situation to hand, "Robin, there can be problems-"

Robin gritted his teeth, his patience wearing thin and knowing Starfire was dying if not already gone was weighing on him terribly, "Damn it, Raven. Just do it. I don't care! I'm not losing her!"

Deciding not to argue, Raven shakily sighed and her shoulder slumped, "Close your eyes and clear your mind as much as you possibly can."

The Boy Wonder took a deep breath, inhaling and releasing it slowly. His torso relaxed as he forced himself to comply with what was needed to make his request work.

Raven's eyes burst with white power, glowing brightly alongside her hands. It was like white electricity in her hands as she gently placed her index and middle finger against the centre of Robin's forehead,

"Azarath... metrion... zinthos..." She breathed, the spell sounding so eerie within the deafening silence of the factory around them. Slade was long gone by now, having taken the brief moment that Robin saw through his enraged haze to flee.

It was just the five of them.

Lifting her fingers away, Raven moved her hand and left a trail of purple magic, like a string cord, in her wake. She touched down on Starfire's forehead and whispered incoherent, ancient words of sorcery, effectively linking them.

A ripple struck Raven and she jolted backwards like some part of her soul and leapt back inside her chest.

Beast Boy was there instantly of course, an arm around her shoulder whilst his hand found her own.

"Rae? You okay?" He asked, worried,

Raven spared him a grateful expression before her blue eyes shifted solely to Robin.

"Robin?" She called,

His eyes remained closed like he was in his own bubble and he gave her no reply at all.

Seeing the spell has worked, Raven slumps, her eyes checking Starfire before she sat up and continued to heal her arm.

"Did it work?" Cyborg asked from the quiet spot he'd been standing,

Raven nodded, "Looks like it."

"He'll... he'll be able to save her, right Raven? He'll bring her back to us?"

She shrugged her shoulders in earnest, "By Azar, I hope so."


	34. Chapter 34

Robin felt strange and he briefly wondered if Raven ever got used to the mystical feeling of her powers.

He slowly opened his eyes, his mask widening at what he saw around him. He knew he had asked for it; practically yelled at Raven to bestow this on him but this was ethereal.

It was completely silent in Starfire's mind.

He felt cold and the nervous itch between his shoulder blades had him on edge. It was dark and gloomy, grey engulfing him. It greatly reminded him of an eerie and barren forest; one that had been left to wither and die in the unforgiving turn of winter.

Every corner he could see was coated with a sense of dread and foreboding, bleak and filled with despair.

It was haunting; so unlike Starfire.

To know this was her current state of mind made him shiver and his heart thud painfully in his chest.

His girl was bubbly and bright and oh so very vibrant. But he supposed, the brink of death was enough to turn anyone's mind into such a desolate looking wasteland.

Robin took a step forward, his eyebrows furrowing at the dust that wafted from his heavy footsteps.

"Starfire!" He called, dismayed when the silence seemed to simply grow louder,

He pushed on, walking on the apparent endless path before him. There was nothing else here, just darkness and when he glanced down at himself, even he seemed to only be there in spirit. He was wispy like a wraith and the colours of his uniform were muted like he wasn't really there which Robin presumed was true.

Physically, he of course wasn't in Starfire's mind. He was still sat next to her unconscious body back at the abandoned factory.

As he delved deeper into the pits of her mind, Robin noticed a flickering above his head. When he lifted his chin to look, he was startled to see faint images of events that had already happened.

With a start, he realized that the images floating around him were Starfire's memories or at least some of them. There were quite a few and by the looks of it, some were good ones and some were bad ones; the ones she would more so wish to forget.

Robin spied a few images that contained a flash of Gordanians and he turned away immediately.

He knew what those memories probably were and whilst he was curious and wanted to know more, he respected Starfire and wasn't about to start prying on the memories she had previously preferred to keep hidden.

She would tell him in her own time. He knew that now and trusted that she would when she was ready.

His belly warmed at the glimpses of some other memories, recognising himself in so many of them.

There was the hard kiss given to him by Starfire the day they met which of course later turned out to be a mere knowledge transfer but Robin wondered why it would hold such importance if it was indeed _just_ language transference.

There was their true first kiss in Tokyo. There was the first time they danced at the Prom he was forced to attend by Kitten. There was the morning he came to her after Blackfire was arrested, reminding her that no one could take her place.

There were many with the other Titans as well. An abundance of memories shared with Raven; a fair amount with Cyborg and Beast Boy. A few spent with Silkie as well.

He smiled at that, relieved and glad to see there were a lot more happy memories inside her head than there were bad.

Shaking his head, Robin continued, his eyes constantly scanning the area for any sign of his best friend and girlfriend.

The ground kept wobbling and Robin knew he had to speed it up.

Suddenly, he saw a silhouette straight ahead of him. Dark and crouched on the ground with their shoulders hunched over, he knew it had to be his Starfire.

"Star!"

Robin broke out into a sprint, desperate to reach her and convince her to wake up.

As he approached, the female figure sat up a little and turned her head towards him.

His heart dropped a little at the broken sight of her.

Her skin colour was dull, her hair no longer held it's scarlet shine that he loved so much and even her clothing seemed darker, more dreary than usual.

The only trace of colour she had on her was her eyes; they were big and bold with an emerald hue but it still saddened him at how diluted they were in comparison to her normal gems.

"Robin."

A chill ran down his spine at how dead and cold her voice sounded. It was still her, he'd know that voice anywhere but right now, it sounded so void of emotion.

He stopped just before her, anxious to get any closer in case he made the situation worse.

"Star... you have to listen to me-"

"No."

His heart pounded in his ribcage, "Wh-What?"

"There is no reason for me to stay. You do not wish to be with me anymore."

Robin shook his head a little, confused and trying to tell himself this was Starfire's insecurities festering within her head.

"Of course I still want to be with you! I love you."

Starfire slowly turned her head away, her hair falling around her face like a curtain, "No. You do not. You will turn from me, just like my own family did. Just like our friends will too. Just like everyone always has."

It was such an unnerving thing to find Starfire so negative when she'd always been the most sunshine type of person he'd ever met.

Robin narrowed his eyes, "Star." His voice cracked slightly, "Whatever it is... I'll listen and I'll be there for you... just like you've always been there for me."

"You say that because you do not know the truth."

He glanced at the misty grey overhead and swallowed, watching it dwindle and start to break down. His time was limited in here and he needed her to see sense.

"Starfire, I need you to wake up for me, baby." He paused, "We can talk about all of this when you wake up, alright?"

"It is too late."

In a bold move, Robin reached out and took her hand in his, "It's never too late. Don't you ever say that... I need you, Star... Y-You're my best friend and I love you... you can't leave... not yet."

"I am filled with fatigue... I am in so much pain..." She whispered, her sad eyes focused on their joint hands,

"I know you are and I wish I could take that away... but, things will be okay as long as you don't die. Please, don't go."

"Robin-"

"There's still time... I need you to fight, Starfire. I need you to try... please come back to me, Star."

Suddenly, the wispy world around him began to trembled and the ground beneath his feet started to rock more violently than before. Robin glanced around frantically, watching as everything started to crumble.

Was this her finally passing onto the next world?

Robin gulped and tried to squeeze her hand tighter, in a futile attempt to stay with her or even bring her with him. But, she suddenly began to dissipate into nothing.

The ground beneath his feet cracked and he found he could no longer move himself in an effort to save himself. Everything was sinking into the abyss and Robin found himself breathing hard.

"No!" He yelped, watching helplessly as the dusty foundation beneath him started to open up, a large gap forming. The link was falling apart.

"Star! Wait!"

With one last look, she vanished into smoke, billowing away until she was gone completely.

Robin yelled out and tried to grab anything to save himself but it was no use; as Starfire faded, so would her world.

He jolted before abruptly falling, down and down, further and further until all he saw around him was an impenetrable blackness.

White flashed once before his eyes.

Robin was thrown backwards slightly, sucking in a ragged gasp. He felt like he had been held under water for minutes without taking a single breath. He panted and looked up, seeing his friends staring back at him in concern but also with a glimmer of hope.

"Robin?" Raven probed, hanging to that slither of hope that he'd been able to save her.

He ignored her, instead choosing to scramble back over to Starfire's side. His eyes watched her face, waiting patiently for any kind of sign she was alive.

Gently touching her face, he stroked his thumb across her chin, "C'mon, Star... c'mon..."

"Robin... I don't think she's-" Beast Boy sadly started,

"Shut up." He snapped with a catch in his throat, "She's going to wake up... she will..."

Cyborg closed his eyes as he couldn't bear watching Robin in denial over something they all knew had come to fruition, as much as they wished it wasn't true.

"R-Raven. Keep healing her! She'll be in pain when she wakes up otherwise."

The empath frowned and gently rest a hand on his shoulder, "R-Robin... she's not-"

He growled and jerked away from her, gripping Starfire's hand tightly and brushing her hair away from her pale face. He lifted her hand, repeatedly kissing the back of it.

"No. She... she's still warm... she's not dead, okay? She isn't!" He barked, refusing to let their words reach him.

Raven sniffled and allowed her emotions some breathing time as she leaned into Beast Boy's shoulder, unable to look at Starfire anymore.

Their leader slumped slightly, as if suddenly understanding what was so painfully obvious. The others remained quiet, merely observing Robin with sad eyes.

"Sh-She can't die..." He whispered, more so to himself.

His eyes flickered as tears threatened to fall from them and Robin clenched his jaw, so many emotions coursing through him. He let his head hang whilst he stayed on his knees on the same spot.

They sat there for what felt like hours but in reality was only mintues.

Rain had started to fall; they could hear it pelting against the thin roof of the factory and on any other day, it would have been calming but not today. Today, it was a miserable reminder of how they all felt.

It was getting heavier and Robin couldn't help but think of how Starfire would have loved it. She always loved the smell and sound of fresh rain and always liked to fly around in it.

He couldn't quite comprehend what had happened. Starfire was lying there with no signs of getting back up and her murderer had gotten away.

His love; his  _otu n'anya_  was gone. He shook his head, not wanting to believe it.

With a wave of sadness rolling over him, he understood how deeply desperate he must have been to wish her still alive as he could have sworn he felt something. He thought he felt her slender fingers twitch beneath his own.

He tried ignoring it, guessing that his mind was playing morbid tricks on him now that he was vulnerable in every single way a person could be.

That is, until he felt it again and stronger this time.

Robin snapped his head up, his eyes wide as he gazed at his girl. He held his breath, waiting to see if his hope was unfounded. His heart was racing and his shoulders trembled slightly with anticipation.

Raven suddenly sat forward as well, the tearstains on her cheeks now dry and her eyes were focused on her best friend. She could feel it; a small flutter of a familiarly bright aura, still dim but definitely there.

"Improssible..." She breathed,

The four of them waited with bated breath, not wanting to get their hopes up just for them to be shattered all over again. They sat around her, just staring and waiting for some kind of outcome.

Starfire's bloodshot eyes snapped open and she let out a piercing scream on account of the excruciating pain her burns caused her.

Tears leaked out from beneath her lashes and she hiccupped on the oxygen she was rapidly trying to get into her system. She kept letting out little screams, confused and scared over what was happening. She kept occasionally twitching and jolting from the shock her body was still in the state of.

Robin gently collected her into his arms, murmuring to her about how much he loved her and how he'd never let anyone hurt her again. Little promises. He didn't know if she was actually hearing him but it was keeping him sane. Blood stained his torn up uniform but he didn't care.

Raven reached out a shaky hand and resumed healing the burns stretched across Starfire's body as Starfire quietens down.

Her screaming and squirming didn't last long before she passed out again but this time, Raven confirmed that she had a strong pulse and that she was still definitely breathing.

Robin didn't release her again until they had gotten her home and safely into the infirmary where she would be properly looked after.


	35. Chapter 35

He inhaled a deep breath and ran his fingers through his dark hair for probably the millionth time in only the space of an hour. Robin kept casting glances to the door, wondering when someone was going to emerge with news.

Frustrated, his leg jiggled up and down as his patience was beginning to wear thin. His heart was pounding and it had been that way since they returned to the tower.

Starfire had slipped back into an unconscious state almost immediately after waking up back at the factory. She hadn't made any sign of waking again but with her breathing clear and her pulse strong, Raven had ordered them to get home as quickly as possible.

When they reached the infirmary, Robin had reluctantly released Starfire, gently placing her on one of the medical beds so that Raven could start tending to her wounds. There was still the grim reminder that she  _could_  still die if something wasn't done to stabilise her soon.

Emotions rushed through Robin the longer he was made to wait outside with Beast Boy quietly watching him.

Raven had set to work instantly, getting a drip set up, changing Starfire into a hospital gown before she frowned and explained that the boys couldn't remain in the room. She needed space and she needed to concentrate and having the Boy Wonder's eyes fixed on her the entire time was more than enough to put her off.

He'd tried to argue of course; tried to throw out his leader card and be this intimidating figure that he  _sometimes_  managed to be. But, Raven's glare outweighed his own before she carefully promised him that she wouldn't give up with Starfire.

That had been enough to convince him to get out. The rational part of his brain knew she was right but his heart told him he should be in there beside his girl. He'd given her forehead a kiss and stalked out of the room, alongside Beast Boy who gave Raven a reassuring squeeze of the waist and a chaste kiss to the cheek.

She'd only allowed Cyborg to stay and that was simply due to his knowledge of the medical equipment and technology which Raven wasn't as educated on. His scanners and monitoring systems were more accurate than most of the infirmary apparatus.

Robin had been standing in the hallway outside of the infirmary for just over an hour now. He hadn't gone anywhere during that time; he hadn't even allowed himself to sit down, something Beast Boy had given into.

The changeling sat with his knees drawn up and his arms draped over them, simply watching as Robin moved around the hallway like a lost puppy.

Robin sighed and glanced at the clock on his communicator once more, continuing to wear down the carpet with his constant pacing. He hadn't let up once and Beast Boy had to inwardly applaud his durability. He'd grown tired after the first 20 minutes of waiting outside.

But, he believed in Raven. It was a lot for her to bear right now; she was taking the burden and stress of keeping Starfire alive but he had faith in her. There was no one better to look after their teammate and friend.

Shifting his forest green eyes to Robin, he withheld a sigh, wishing Robin would calm but Beast Boy  _knew_  if the positions were reversed and it was Raven in there holding on by a thread, he'd be going out of his mind with worry as well.

"Dude, why don't you sit down? Who knows how long they're gonna be." Beast Boy suggested offhandedly.

Robin turned his head, throwing his friend a scowl which Beast Boy had seen enough times that he just brushed it off. Rolling his eyes, he patted the space on the floor beside him.

"C'mon. Sit. It's not gonna do anything  _pacing_  hasn't already." He told him, half jokingly.

His leader paused before he gave into a sigh and trudged across to him, slumping down the wall beside the changeling. He brought his knees up and copied Beast Boy's position, except he was tapping his foot.

"So..." Beast Boy began, aiming to lighten the extremely tense mood,

He could see Robin's jaw flex out of the corner of his eye before Robin murmured, "Please. Don't, Beast Boy."

The jokester sobered and was a little surprised not to hear any anger or frustration in his voice. He'd expected Robin to snap and bite out at him for even talking but his voice simply sounded  _broken_  and _helpless._

He supposed that was likely considering there wasn't a whole lot else for him to do besides wait and see what happened. Beast Boy guessed that'd be a difficult notion for Robin; they all knew how he loved to be in control of things going on around him and to have it taken from him would clearly leave him floundering.

Beast Boy watched Robin for a long moment before he too exhaled, "You know..." He paused, "She  _is_  going to be okay, Robin."

Robin inclined his head to meet his eyes, "You saw how badly injured she was."

The changeling smiled sadly, "Yeah and I really wish I hadn't. That's pretty much burnt into my brain which sucks..." He tilted his head, "But this is Starfire we're talking about."

Shaking his head a little, Robin shrugged, "I just wish I could do something; anything to help the situation."

"You did. When Raven did that little psychic link thing between the two of you... she didn't wake up after just because she felt like it. She knew how much she was still needed."

"I just..." Robin trailed off, not really knowing what to say,

"Dude, trust in Raven. Starfire is her best friend; she's going to do everything she can."

Robin nodded, "I know. I don't doubt Raven... I just... she was so hurt..."

Beast Boy chewed his bottom lip, "Starfire is gonna be okay, Dick. I just know it. She  _has_  to be."

The dark haired man lifted his head to look at his friend, ready to throw more of his inner doubts out there but he paused. He could see it in Beast Boy's eyes; the desperation to believe what he was saying. Beast Boy was being reassuring, for both of their sakes.

It was one of the rare moments where Beast Boy showed his serious side and withheld the jokes and humour. He was like the lesser of Starfire; trying to stay positive for other people even in the situations where positivity was scarce. Robin could sense that.

He pushed back the thoughts plaguing his mind and gave Beast Boy a small, appreciative smile, reaching across to grasp the changeling's shoulder in a show of thanks for his comfort.

They dipped into silence again, albeit less tense than before. They sat there, just waiting.

Wait for her to live; wait for her to die.

Wait for an elucidation.

Time stretched on, feeling longer and longer as they continued to sit there. Robin continuously checked the time on his communicator, always keep note of how long Raven had been in there with Starfire.

His foot was still tapping at the floor, his impatience growing and he bit down hard on his bottom lip; enough to draw a tiny bit of blood. He was on the verge of barging into the infirmary, demanding an update on Starfire when suddenly, the door slid open.

Robin was stood in front of the room before Beast Boy could even blink. The changeling followed suit as he noticed Raven emerge and stand at the threshold.

Raven looked exhausted; most likely from expelling so much magic to heal Starfire as best she could. There was blood on her cloak, enough to worry Robin but it was not too much.

"R-Raven... is she...?" He left the sentence hanging, unable to think of either option.

"There was a lot of damage... internally, there was some bleeding... from the fall of the burns, I'm not sure. She had a pretty nasty head injury too." Raven told him, the darkness under eyes giving her a haunted look,

"But?"

Raven shook her head a little, "She lost a lot of blood, Robin."

Robin's face crumpled and his chest heaved as his breathing became more rapid, "God, no..."

He tried to angle himself around her to see into the room but the empath pressed her fingertips against his shoulders, stalling him from doing what he wanted.

"Her burns... the ones on her stomach and her neck... they took the most energy to heal and I'm not even finished with them yet." She took a breath, her eyes searching his face, "She's stable and she  _is_  alive but... she won't be awake for a while."

There was a pang of relief that was quickly refilled with concern, "Wh-What? Why?"

"Her Tamaranian physiology allows similar to my own healing trance. Tamaranians can heal at a much quicker rate than humans but only when in a comatose state. The body shuts down so it can focus on healing the wounds."

He slowly nodded; Starfire had mentioned that before as well as pointing out numerous times how resilient her people were.

"But... she  _is_  alive?" Robin checked,

Raven nodded, "She's made of sturdy stuff... if she were human..." She shook her head, "She'd be long dead."

Robin swallowed the mountain in his throat, eyes shifting back and forth behind his mask into the infirmary.

"Can... can I see her?"

She nodded but tilted her head at him, "Just... be aware that she is pretty badly hurt. It-It's really hard to see her how she is at the moment. It'll get better over the next few days but..."

"I don't care... I just want to see her."

Raven stared at him, "I think Slade caught us all off guard this time." She told him this with the hope he understood that it wasn't his fault and that Slade's odd pattern of crimes wasn't obvious.

Robin's jaw clenched and his shoulders stiffened, "I should work on finding him after I check on her. I just let him go; let him slip away without even thinking about it."

Narrowing her eyes, Raven looked at him, " _We_  will work on finding Slade. We'll try tracking what we can. Take a guess at what you need to do."

He was sheepish under Raven's gaze and sarcastic tone.

"Stay with Starfire." Robin told her adamantly.

She nodded, "You'll be the one she looks for first  _when_  she wakes up."

"She... is going to wake up then?"

Raven breathed out in exasperation, "Yes. Do you really think I would be standing here talking to you if I hadn't stabilised her?"

"Thank you, Raven." Robin murmured, taking her hand and squeezing.

"She's my best friend too, Dick." Raven reminded him in a soft voice,

"I know... it's just... before... I know I was harsh with you-"

She nodded, "I understand."

Taking her hand back from his, she eyed his shoulder and torso. She ran her fingers against both places, probing and testing, earning a sudden wince and grunt from Robin.

"I need to heal your shoulder and ribs. I bet they're bruised black and blue by now."

Robin shook his head, "They can wait."

"Robin-"

"Later. You need to rest first, Raven. You're exhausted."

She gave him a scowl but he simply patted her hand, dismissing her in that brotherly way of his. He inhaled deeply before stepping past her and into the infirmary.

Raven stared after him for a long moment before she turned and ushered Beast Boy and Cyborg away to give Robin some time alone with Starfire.

As the three of them wandered down the hallway, Cyborg rubbed a hand over his face,

"It's been one heck of a day." He pointed out,

Raven nodded and she felt Beast Boy slip his hand into hers, intertwining their fingers. She offered him a tiny smile to which he returned.

"I think I'll order some pizza or something. Now that the little lady's stable, we can relax... a little."

"One vegetarian, please." Beast Boy whined,

"Grass stain, what is the point in pizza without meat?"

"You don't know what you're missing, Tin Man."

Cyborg smirked and shook his head, walking ahead towards OPS and the couple could hear him faintly calling their local pizza parlour.

"How are you feeling?" Beast Boy asked,

"Tired." Raven sighed, "But food will probably help."

"You should rest, Rae."

She rolled her eyes, "Not you as well. I'm fine."

"Raven-"

Sighing, she looked at him meaningfully, "I will after I've eaten. I promise, Gar."

He nodded and beamed; happy she was going to take care of herself.

"How are  _you_?" Raven paused, her eyes sweeping over her boyfriend, "I've been a little out of sorts with everything that happened. But, I have felt everyone's emotions. You're not good."

His small smile faltered, "I was really scared."

Raven stopped walking and stared at his face, her eyebrows furrowed with worry.

"I thought she was going to die... and... I don't know what I would have done. Star's practically my sister..." His voice caught in his throat so Raven gently touched his cheek,

"I know... I was scared too."

Beast Boy nodded and cleared his throat several times, "I'm... better now that she's breathing at least."

"She's a strong woman. She'll be okay."

"And she has you to help her recover."

"I didn't do much."

Beast Boy tugged on her hand to make her look at him, "More than any of the rest of us could have done."

"Thank you." Raven said, blushing.

"You're more caring than you let on, Rae. It's one of the things that I love you for."

Raven smiled slightly before her eyes widened and her heart raced, realising what he just uttered. He turned to walk again but she jerked her head up and stopped him,

"You... you do know what you just said, right?" She asked, her voice wavering,

Neither of them had said it yet and to hear it aloud was overwhelming.

Beast Boy merely smiled, "I know and I'm not taking it back..." He shook his head, "Seeing Robin today with Star... it made me realise how much I need you and that actually... I do love you, Rae."

She blinked a few times before a small, shy smile grew on her face.

"And  _you_  love me too, dontcha, Rae?" He teased, wriggling his eyebrows at her, "C'mon, you can say it."

Raven fixed her expression back into a blank one, "Idiot." She mumbled before cheekily releasing his hand and hurrying ahead of him.

"Raeee!" He called, chasing after her, determined to get her to admit it to him.

She quietly laughed as he followed behind and Beast Boy did eventually, get what he wanted, of course.

Robin's footsteps were quiet and careful as he moved inside the infirmary. He reached out and gently pushed the curtain surrounding Starfire aside.

He didn't really know what he expected. He knew how hurt she was; had seen it first hand and whilst her wounds were at their rawest. Even when she had the tiniest of cuts though, his heart clenched at seeing her in physical pain.

Walking around the end of the bed, he caught a glimpse of her and his heart dropped. She was so unlike her normal radiant self and it hurt him to see her like this.

The bruises and scratches were what he notice first, small ones dotted over her beautiful face; they had been there before they'd reached her during what he only imagined was a scuffle between her and Slade. His girl didn't go down without a fight.

He hurried to the side of her bed, ripping off his mask and setting it on the bedside table. He gently reached out and ran his fingertips over the gauze wrapped around her stomach. He trailed them over to the bandages wrapped around her arms before tentatively touched the gauze around her throat and he tried hard to ignore the spots of dark blood that had seeped through.

There was a burning that flared in his chest; an anger that couldn't be ignored nor replaced. He clenched his fists by his sides. Slade wouldn't get away with this. He wouldn't do it alone of course and Robin knew that it might take some time to find Slade again but he vowed to himself that he would pay and he would bring the madman to justice for all the crimes he had committed in the past years.

Robin stood still, watching her for a long time with only the beep of her heart monitor sounding within the room. He cleared his throat, feeling a little choked up at seeing her in such a state.

He grabbed the chair near her bedside table and dragged it over to the edge of her bed so he could sit with her.

Taking a seat in the chair, he slowly took her hand with one of his own, feeling a flutter of happiness at the warmth of her skin. He used his free hand to brush her hair out of her face and stroked her cheek with his knuckles.

He exhaled and shut his eyes, shaking his head.

"I'm so sorry I let this happen to you, Star."

He peered at her and reached into a compartment of his belt, wrapping something around his free hand.

"Please... wake up soon." He whispered, clasping at the object retrieved from his belt. He shifted in his seat and the light glistened over it as he clutched at his mother's locket, hoping it would give him luck and hope now more than ever.


	36. Chapter 36

There was a quiet knock at the door of the infirmary and Robin lifted his head to glance over and call out, "Come in."

It slid open and Cyborg huddled inside, smiling at the adorable sight before him.

Robin was sat in the chair, maskless with his feet up on Starfire's bed, but he was being careful not to lean on any of the wires hooked up to her. He didn't want any of them tugging on her skin because that would cause such unnecessary pain for his girl.

In his lap lay a snoring Silkie who was looking more than comfortable tucked up in a little ball atop of Robin's thighs. He had one hand on the worm, gently stroking the makeshift pet of the Titans. He wasn't surprised to find Silkie close to Starfire; that little worm adored his mistress and would probably hiss if you even tried to remove him from her side.

His other hand was in the same place it had been for the past few days, clasping Starfire's protectively and giving all the support he could at the current moment.

"Ey, Rob?"

Robin paused in his stroking of Silkie and looked up at him. Cyborg withheld a sigh at the state of his friend. He looked drained and filled with concern for Starfire. He was paler than usual and it appeared as though he had not left the room since the day Starfire was hurt.

Cyborg  _knew_  he hadn't been eating or sleeping or showering. All he had done was staying by Starfire's bedside, waiting for her to wake up.

"Hey Cy. What's up?" Robin replied, even his voice sounded hoarse,

The cybernetic man lifted up the tray he held in his hands, revealing a sandwich, a coffee and a big bowl of soup that smelled simply divine.

"Just doing my big brother duties and bringing you something to eat."

Robin gave him a small smile but was somewhat sheepish, "Thanks... I don't know if I'm all that hungry though-"

Cyborg rolled his human eye and continued into the room, walking around behind Robin to set the tray down on Starfire's bedside table. Robin must have been at least a tiny bit hungry considering how quickly he glanced over at the food once he got a single whiff of the stuff.

He dusted his hands off before placing them on his hips, "Psh! None of that 'I'm not hungry' bullshit. You know that Starfire will tell you off somethin' fierce when she wakes up and learns you ain't been eating, otherwise."

Robin chuckled, "She  _does_  hate it when I do that."

Cyborg grinned, "She likes to worry."

His leader tilted his head with a smirk, "Apparently, that's one of the things that draws us to each other."

Robin leant over to grab the offered coffee and took a long sip, enjoying the taste of it warming his empty stomach. Cyborg nodded; glad he was accepting what he'd brought in.

The man walked back around Starfire's bed, dragging a chair over and taking a seat on the opposite side of Robin. He looked over Starfire and rested one of his hands over hers, lifting his free arm to scan her and check her readings. He nodded to himself, satisfied with the results.

"How's our girl doing?"

Robin sighed heavily and put the mug of coffee back down on the bedside table. He shifted, bringing his feet down from Starfire's bed, being careful not to wake Silkie.

"You tell me..." Robin stated sadly, "she hasn't woken up and it's been almost a week now, Cyborg."

Cyborg looked over at Robin, noting how much he was restraining himself from freaking out at her lack of response.

He sighed, "She's  _fine_ , Rob."

"If that were true, she should have woken up by now."

Shrugging, Cyborg adjusted the drip in her hand a little, "Not necessarily."

Robin shifted his blue eyes to his friend, "What?"

"She's in a form of healing sleep. It's a Tamaranian trait and we've seen her do it before."

"Yeah, for a few days. It's never been this long when she's been injured before."

"It's to be expected. Slade dealt a pretty hard blow; these injuries are vastly different from anything she's suffered during battles before, man."

Robin exhaled loudly, "But-"

Cyborg gently traced a faded bruise on Starfire's cheek with his fingers before retracting his hand and looking pointedly at Robin,

"Maybe she hasn't woken up yet but she  _is_  getting better. Notice how her bruising and cuts and barely there now?"

Robin glanced at Starfire's face and had to agree. It was true. Raven had been in every day to heal the burns on her throat, stomach and arms. Her bruises were barely there and there was practically no evidence of any scratches on her skin either. Her burns were still covered but Raven had been working hard on repairing the skin of those areas affected.

She had even told him that it wouldn't scar which had been a relief for him. As much as Starfire liked scars, he didn't know how she'd feel about being practically covered in them. It was good to hear she wouldn't need skin grafts either. Truly, Raven was one of the biggest assets to the Titans. Without her, he knew some of them would definitely be dead by now.

Robin slowly nodded at what Cyborg had said, settling with having to keep waiting and hoping for the best.

"Not to mention, her powers are solar based, don't forget. She'd more than likely heal faster if she were in direct sunlight but since we can't exactly move her outta here, we're gonna have to make do with the sunlight through that window."

The ebony haired man considered that; supposing that in truth, that could be the reason for her taking so long to wake up as well. He sat back and dragged a hand over his face, sighing yet again.

Cyborg felt bad for him; he knew how worried Robin was about Starfire; hell they all were. But, he also knew how guilty Robin felt for all of it. He knew, deep down, he blamed himself.

"Hey... Rob?" Cyborg started, hesitantly,

"Yeah?"

The half robot sat forward, clasping his hands together, "Listen... I just... wanted to say sorry... for placing blame on you the night she was hurt-"

Robin shifted, "It's fine-"

"No, it's not... I was just riled because she was in danger. Star and Raven... they're the closest things I have to sisters... I never wanna lose em'." Cyborg admitted,

Watching Cyborg, Robin nodded, "I know."

"I... it was uncalled for and I'm sorry, man."

"Cy." Robin addressed, making Cyborg look at him, "It's okay. I understand and let's face it... you were right."

"Don't do that to yourself."

"It's true... the argument we had; the way I handled things with her-"

"Couples fight, man... even Bee and I have had a couple already and we've only been officially dating for a little while." He paused, "Look, I don't know what the argument was about and I don't want to know. It's no one else's business. All I know is you have to just talk with Star when she wakes up. You can't just beat yourself up over something which Starfire probably doesn't even blame you for."

Robin sighed and nodded, "I guess."

"Stop moping." Cyborg instructed and Robin jerked his head up to see his friend smiling, "Star won't like it if you're all brooding when she comes around."

The corner of his mouth quirked up and Robin shook his head, "Alright, point made."

Cyborg chuckled; a light sound in a room filled with so much tension and apprehension. Robin joined him for a moment but before long, they sobered and it dawned on Cyborg that Robin had been cooped up in the infirmary for as long as Starfire had.

He looked him over and frowned. Robin looked like death. He was pale with bags under his eyes and Cyborg was pretty sure that stale odor was his leader. He needed to get refreshed as he'd been down there with her for days on end.

"Dick, take a break."

"What?" Robin replied, startled.

"Go get a shower and some air and then come back to her. Take that tray with you and eat on the way."

Robin immediately shook his head, defiant, "No. I need to be here when she wakes up."

"And you will be. I doubt she's gonna wake up in the next half an hour."

Touching her cheek, Robin gently stroked her skin, "I don't want to leave her alone."

"Psh, she won't be alone. I'll stay.  _You_  go. It's not healthy for you to stay cooped up in here."

He appeared hesitant, still gazing at Starfire.

"Man, it'll be fine. Even if she were to show signs of waking up whilst you're outta the room; obviously I'll beep you straight away."

Robin paused before he reluctantly stood up, lifting Silkie and transferring him to the end of the bed. Silkie was like her little protector and even though Silkie adored Robin, he'd still give him a bite if he tried to remove him from Starfire.

"Alright..." Robin agreed, "Just for a little while... you swear you'll beep me if-"

Cyborg rolled his human eye and gave him a soft smile, "Yes. Now go."

His friend gave him a tired smiled and gave his shoulder a grateful squeeze as he passed him on his way to the door.

"Thanks, Vic."

Cyborg nodded, watching Robin leave.

He absently smiled, looking back down at his sister, "You've got one worried boyfriend there, Star. But, girl, does he love you."

Starfire remained still with her eyes closed and the natural beat of the monitor continued to fill the silence.


	37. Chapter 37

There was little light filtering into the infirmary as the amber sun continued to set on Jump City. The evening was drawing in and the golden inferno in the sky was sinking lower, casting a glittering trail across the ocean below the tower.

Shadows were haphazardly cast around the room and there was a silence that filled the air, with the exception of a constant beeping from the heart monitor in the corner of the room.

Robin breathed heavily, fidgeting as he slept at Starfire's side for what felt like the hundredth time. Of course, it wasn't how he was usually accustomed to sleeping by her side considering he was draped over the edge of her infirmary bed.

He made a few muffled sounds, his eyebrows knitting together in obvious distress. It didn't seem as though the dreams flitting through his mind were pleasant ones this evening.

Turning his head back and forth, Robin suddenly gasped and jolted and his eyes snapped open. He blinked, trying to get his bearings back. He couldn't tell what  _exactly_  his dreams had been about but the worry and the fear were painfully clear in his memory. They had involved Starfire and Slade and him failing to protect her from the clutches of the man he hated most in the world.

Robin took a deep breath, ignoring the pounding of his heart inside his chest. He jerked his head up, checking on Starfire to see if she had woken up.

His heart caught and he felt a wave of disappointment roll over him.

It had been so long since she'd been awake; or at least, it felt like a long time to him. He was beginning to think he'd never see that thousand watt smile on her face or those luminous green eyes sparkling in the daylight again.

He ached to hear her giggling over something silly that Silkie did.

Robin sighed and lowered his head, inwardly scolding himself for sleeping with his forehead pressed to Starfire's stomach. She was healing up nicely thanks to Raven who had been in to see the Princess continuously each and every day since the night at the factory.

Whilst her cuts and bruises were all gone and she looked more like herself, Robin was striving to be careful of her burns still. They were nothing like how they first were but he still didn't want to aggravate her wounded skin.

He looked over her face and absently smiled. It was surprising and concerning that she had been asleep for so long. It had been a couple of weeks since she sustained her injuries and whilst he wished more than anything she would just open her eyes, Robin felt comforted that she was looking healthier at least.

The gorgeous orange tone had returned to her flesh, giving her the golden glow she usually had whilst a rosiness painted the apples of her cheeks. Her long red hair, which Raven had made sure to wash when she cleaned Starfire, was silky smooth and cascaded over her shoulders.

And yet she hadn't woken up.

Robin stifled a yawn and looked back at the clinical bedspread, running a hand through his ragged hair. He blearily stared at the edge of the bed whilst his free hand snaked up to rest atop of Starfire's warm yet limp one along her side.

Gently, Robin stroked his thumb against Starfire's fingers, hoping his mere touch could rouse her from her healing slumber.

"C'mon, Star..." Robin whispered, his heart throbbing in desperation for her to open her eyes, "I need you to be okay."

Silence continued to consume the room and he closed his eyes, sighing in defeat.

He heard a shuffling and briefly reopened his eyes to look over at Silkie who was curled up on the end of the bed, right next to Starfire's feet. Robin had to smile; the fiercely loyal larvae had not vacated the infirmary since Starfire had been brought in, much to both Raven and Cyborg's chagrin.

Robin leaned forward again, his hand still clasping Starfire's unresponsive one. He let his face fall to the palm of his free hand and he simply took a few moments to try and reassure himself that Starfire would be alright.

It was difficult with her not being awake. She was always so bubbly and positive and his fears and worries were always snuffed out when she was present but in recent weeks, with Starfire being in a comatose state; it was getting harder to stay optimistic.

But, he still tried to be for her.

He knew he was becoming sleep deprived lately as well. Robin kept imagining little things. He thought he'd seen the flicker of her eyes, the slight tilt of her head before he'd rubbed his face and collapsed into a much needed sleep.

Like now for instance, he could have sworn he felt her slender fingers twitch beneath his own hand. But, he knew that it was just another trick his mind was playing on him.

Until he felt it again.

Robin held his breath and snapped his head up to stare at his girlfriend. He waited for a long moment, withholding his excitement until he saw a proper movement rather than a natural reflex of her body.

Starfire's eyelids began to flicker and her eyelashes brushed against her cheeks. Her hand slowly turned over and laced her fingers with his, squeezing his hand.

She turned her head towards him; her eyes only open a crack, "R-Richard?" She whispered,

His heart damn near stopped. Not only had she just uttered his real name for the first time since he revealed everything about his former life to her but she was awake; her voice was quiet and hoarse but he hadn't imagined it.

Starfire narrowed her eyes, trying to focus on his face before giving him the tiniest smile in greeting.

Relief flooded through him and it was like a sudden weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He was practically frozen to the spot. Nothing else mattered to him in that moment; the only thing he acknowledged was the fact Starfire was awake and she was very much  _alive_.

He stood up in a lightning quick movement, beaming down at her and cupping her face with his free hand. It was expected but she still widened her eyes a little when Robin leaned down to attach his lips to hers in a searing kiss.

It was a type of kiss that told her everything he was feeling. All of his worry, all of his sleepless and restless nights, all of his love was poured into the single kiss that he bestowed on her.

A soft shaky hand came up to touch his cheek. Her fingertips brushed against his jaw line and she slowly started to relax into the kiss.

Robin pulled back before peppering little kisses all across her face, injecting all the affection that he could. She smiled and her twinkling giggle sounded throughout the small room.

He felt his heart flutter at hearing her laugh; it was one of his absolute favourite features of hers and he had missed hearing it the past couple weeks.

"What did I do to warrant such a loving display?" She asked, quietly and Robin could tell she still felt groggy by the tone of her voice.

Robin inclined his head to stare at her, his blue eyes shining with relief, "You're awake..." He breathed,

Starfire gave him a small smile, "I am."

The smile wobbled and she flinched in discomfort, bringing a trembling hand to her forehead which was to be expected. Her body hadn't seen daylight in ages.

"Ooh... what happened? Are we in the infirmary?" She queried, her dull green eyes peering at her surroundings.

Robin nodded, "What do you remember, Star?"

She scrunched up her face, trying hard to cast her mind back, "I-I remember... fighting... fire... Slade... he captured me and..." She wrapped her arms around herself, "The pain he inflicted..."

Her boyfriend touched her hand, his face contorted in hatred and anger towards Slade.

"It's okay... he can't hurt you now."

Starfire furrowed her eyebrows, "Did we catch him?"

Robin felt a wave of shame and disappointment crash over him, "No... no, we didn't. When you went down after being burned by Slade... I lost the focus and I let him get away... I..."

"Next time, Robin." She punctuated, making a point that they would someday succeed in taking down Slade once and for all.

He gave her an appreciative smile, acknowledging her attempt to console him.

"Slade doesn't matter right now... all that matters is that you woke up."

Starfire grimaced as she pushed herself upright before she lay back against the pillows behind her. Her head fell to the side, watching Robin with fatigued eyes,

"How long was I unconscious for?" She croaked,

"Just over 2 weeks."

Her eyes widened a fraction, "Oh. That is longer than usual."

Robin nodded, "We assumed it was due to the extent of injuries and burns you sustained that night."

She nodded, "You have been worried."

He glanced around at the pillow and blanket that were stuff down the side of the chair he sat in, with a tray on her bedside table; empty but indicating that he hadn't left her very often.

Robin smiled sheepishly at her, "I've been worried sick... I didn't know... if you were gonna wake up this time. It's been... really hard without you."

Starfire swallowed and her eyes dropped to her lap. She clearly had something on her mind and it didn't seem to be her recent injuries.

She took her hand from his and tapped her fingertips together, "Robin..." Starfire began, her voice timid and nervous, "About before..."

"Star, you don't have to explain yourself to me." Robin sighed, earning a shocked expression from Starfire who clearly hadn't been expecting such a calm response considering how things went down between them before Slade made an appearance.

"What?" She wondered in disbelief,

He rubbed the back of his neck and stood up; she didn't need this conversation just after regaining consciousness. There would be time for it later. He didn't want her to get worked up simply because she thought he needed answers.

Besides, Cyborg and Raven would have his head if he didn't notify them of her awakening.

"Look, Star, you need some rest." He started, already moving to leave and give her some time to herself, knowing full well that he was leaving partly because he didn't know if he was  _ready_  after all to know about those scars.

As he made his way around the end of her bed and intended to exit, he stopped.

"R-Robin?" Her voice was tiny and tear thick; clearly indicating she didn't want to be alone.

' _Please... not... leave.'_

He turned to her immediately, seeing her eyes wide with concern over what he could imagine were a number of things. There were tears pricking her eyes and she had her shoulders hunched slightly, most likely trying to stop herself from getting upset.

Robin stepped closer to her but not quite enough, unsure of his boundaries. He didn't want to make her feel pressured or anything; he just wanted her to be relaxed and calm. She was still recovering after all.

Starfire felt her lip quiver and without warning, tears began to drip down her cheeks and she choked out a sob,

"I... I am... s-so sorry..."

That surprised him completely. His eyebrows shot to his hairline, "For what?"

She shook her head vehemently, "I... I should have told you... I-I should have been the open and honest like you were... I simply... I did not-"

He crossed the distance between them in an instant and had both her hands clasped in his before either of them could blink. He was sat on the edge of the infirmary bed, kissing her clasped hands before shifting his own to cup her face. He used his thumbs to gently brush away the tears that fell.

"Star... shh... don't. You aren't the one who needs to apologise for anything..." He gave her a little kiss, "I was a complete jerk about that whole thing... I should never have reacted the way I did or said what I did."

"But, I-"

"I was the one who forced that situation on you. I could have ignored the scars when I found out about them but I just couldn't... they... threw me, I'll be honest. I just never expected you to have such... vivid scars and for me to not know what they are from... you're usually quite proud of your scars... this time, it was just different."

Starfire silently nodded.

" _I'm_  really sorry, baby... I didn't mean to yell or to be so immature... it just... hurt in the moment; to not know anything about these marks when I thought I knew every single thing about you. I'm sorry. I'm  _so_ sorry."

She sniffled and more tears trickled from her eyes, "I-I promise... I-I was planning to tell you. I-I truly was... I was simply..."

Robin watched her carefully, "Star?"

"I was... scared to tell you."

"Scared? I never want you to feel afraid of telling me something, Star."

Starfire shook her head, "Not scared to tell you... scared for... your reaction." She paused and looked up at him, "There are... things that happen outside of Earth which are not  _nice_."

"You can tell me anything." Robin whispered, stroking her cheek as soothingly as he could.

She gave him a watery smile; brief but it was there, "I know." Starfire shook her head, "I have attempted to forget  _things_  that happened during my past... to simply erase the memories..."

Robin stared at her, understanding where she was going with this and he wanted her to know that she had a choice in this, "Star, look at me."

His tone was soft and Starfire could never deny him anything and so she glanced up at him through damp eyelashes.

"I want you to tell me because  _you_  want to; not because you feel like you  _have_ to... but, I just want you to know... whatever it is... it doesn't change a thing and I'm here for you... just... you know that, right?"

Starfire slowly nodded, pressing a gentle kiss to the palm of his hand, resting on her cheek, "I know."

Robin let go of a sigh he didn't realise he'd been holding and quirked a tiny smile, "Just double checking... I just want you to feel comfortable, Star... I love you."

Her eyes widened and he could tell thanks to her still connected heart monitor that she was happy to hear him say that.

"You do?" She queried.

He couldn't help but chuckle and Robin tilted his head, looking at her like she was insane.

"Of course I do."

Starfire was sheepish and she shrugged a little, "I did not know if you still..."

Robin shook his head, leaning forward until their foreheads touched, "You're  _my_  girl, Star. Absolutely nothing will change how I feel about you. Ever."

Whimpering, Starfire inclined her head and kissed him. He cupped her face a little firmer than before and returned the tender kiss, wanting to show her how much she meant to him.

She pulled away first, needing to suck in a breath of air but she didn't come away from the contact. Their foreheads rested against each other's and Starfire found herself calmed by his mere touch.

"Will you stay with me for the little while?" She whispered,

Robin nodded, "Of course, I will... though, I should probably let Cyborg and Raven know that you're-"

She gripped his hand tighter, "Please... may we wait to alert our friends to my regaining consciousness?"

Narrowing his eyes at her, Starfire shifted uncomfortably.

"I-I do not quite feel ready to share in our friends company just yet..."

He tucked some of her long hair behind her ear, "That's okay, Star."

She gave him a shy smile which quickly wavered and a loose tear fell. Robin immediately wiped it away and she hiccupped, shaking her head,

"I am sorry... I simply-"

"Feeling a little overwhelmed?" Robin guessed,

Starfire nodded whilst Robin tentatively rubbed her upper arm. She suddenly shuffled on the bed, moving over to one side of it whilst trying to smother an obvious wince of pain. Robin got to his feet instantly but Starfire gave him a small, reassuring smile.

She patted the space she had made, indicating she wanted him to get in beside her.

Robin smiled softly but did as he'd been silently asked to. He kicked off his boots and carefully slid beneath the thin sheet, bringing his arm around Starfire's shoulders. He pulled her to his chest and she deeply inhaled his scent, physically relaxing against him.

His scent made her feel safe. It was familiar and it was  _him_.

Sliding his free hand beneath hers, Robin idly played with her fingers whilst she simply looked up at him, thoughts clearly crossing her mind.

She swallowed the lump in her throat.

Robin kissed her forehead before staring back into her emerald eyes, "What is it?" He murmured,

"Before... the Titans... before you all rescued me from the Gordanians, things were... not nearly as wonderful as they are now."

He frowned, "Star... you really don't have to. If you're not comfortable."

Starfire's eyes shone with unshed tears, "Please? I need to... there will never be a good time for this conversation, Robin."

Mulling over it, he exhaled and nodded, "If you want to stop, do it. I'll understand."

She smiled briefly and nodded. Looking down at hers and Robin's joint hands, she considered the best way to explain. She was patient and focused, unsure of how to start. Robin said nothing; he merely lay there, staring at their intertwined fingers as she tried to choose the right words.

Starfire sighed, looking out at the tiny window near the top of the wall, "I suppose... it began when I was merely 8 years of age... Tamaran was not safe. We were facing an impending war between our homeworld and the Citadel."

Robin silently nodded, remembering one of the very first things her telling them when they met was how the Citadel were, 'not nice'.

"In response to this impending fate, my sister, my brother and I needed to complete our mandatory combat training sooner than expected."

He blinked in surprise, "Brother?"

Starfire smiled sadly, "I know I have not mentioned him before... it is... the sensitive subject for me. His name was Ryand'r."

Robin nodded, deciding to stay quiet once more.

"The three of us were sent away to Okaara to begin our training as it was our duty to learn the art of combat on account of being a part of one of the four royal families on Tamaran and considering our family were reigning at the time, it was a necessity that each one of us was able to withstand a battle." She looked down again, "It is expected for each member of Royal blood to be skilled in combat as strength proves the capability of a warrior. The people of Tamaran do not accept individuals to rule the planet if they have not tasted nor succeeded in battle with another warrior. To hide upon the throne within the Royal palace... it is seen as  _rutha_."

He knew all about the culture; it was something Starfire had always been up front about. Something told him it was difficult being Tamaranian; strength was everything to them and one small slip and they would cast you down for being weak. Tamaranian culture was all about showing off your warriors skills and yet, it was something he still could not fathom about Starfire. Sure, she was scary as hell when she went full warrior Princess mode on any of their adversaries but, she did not come across as someone who wouldn't even hurt a fly.

"I believe Okaara was the pinnacle of Komand'r's - Blackfire hatred towards me. As she learnt, she would become more aggressive during our practicing together. Komand'r was desperate to prove that she was better than me in something... you may have noticed that my sister... she is not like other Tamaranians... appearance wise."

Honestly, Robin had never really thought about it. Blackfire made his blood boil as he continuously thought back on the times that witch had tried to hunt Starfire down and also the times where she had out rightly betrayed her.

But, now that she mentioned it, Blackfire lacked the vibrant red hair and green eyes that most Tamaranians seemed to have.

"Oh... yeah." He replied, thinking about it more now and wondering why he'd never noticed before.

Starfire nodded, "When she was born, she suffered the birth defect or so people thought. She inherited the black hair and purple flame from our ancestors of the past. It is rare and uncommon but Blackfire was the first born and the people saw this as the bad omen... they immediately took a strong dislike to her; labelling her as not being true Tamaranian due to her differences. In contrast, when I was born, the people sang praise for my mother and father finally giving life to a... 'pure' Tamaranian..." Starfire sighed and her shoulders sagged, "My sister has always felt the spiteful jealousy because she was never accepted; not like I so easily was. I never had to earn it, Blackfire thought. She feels I have always been the perfect one, the favourite amongst our family and our kingdom. My... personality and upbeat behaviour has only ever goaded her to hate me even more."

Robin huffed, "Well, maybe if she acted a little more like you, people would actually  _like_  her."

She smiled softly and pats his hand, "She became quite vicious during our time on Okaara. I could not understand her hatred... she is my older sister... all I have ever wanted from her is the closeness that is supposed to be the foundation of a family. She was not willing to change her feelings."

Inhaling a deep breath, Starfire shook her head, "After only a year into our training, we were called back to Tamaran in an emergency. When we arrived, our home world was in the midst of a most brutal war with the Citadel who had received inside intelligence on our defence techniques..." She paused and her eyes became glassy, "I only discovered later that my sister had been the one to betray us all."

Robin's eyes widened, "How could she do that?"

Starfire shrugged, "She felt as though she had long been betrayed by Tamaran and felt the anger towards us all. However, my father appreciated her interest in the 'game of politics' as he so often referred to it. The two of them consulted in how to resolve the war between Tamaran and the Citadel..."

The Princess went quiet and Robin felt a coldness in the pit of his stomach as the story seemed to turn, "A treaty of peace was drawn up and disclosed that Tamaran would offer a Tamaranian servant which would remain within the Citadel's service until the end of their days and would disable the Citadel from continuing their attacks upon our planet... Blackfire suggested that the offering could not be herself as she was not seen as a true daughter of Tamaran... and it could also not be my brother as he was the only male heir... so..."

Robin gasped, "No..."

Glancing to the side, Starfire fixed her eyes on a blank part of the medical wall, her mind heavy with memories of her shattered childhood.

She gulped before continuing, "As a Princess, I felt I was honouring my planet and simply doing my duty... I agreed to go to the Citadel without much of the protesting. I truly believed there was no other way... I believed if there was, then my father surely would have done it..."

He squeezed her hand, "Your family... they just... just handed you over to them?"

Starfire nodded slowly, keeping her eyes trained on that pale section of wall on the far side of the infirmary.

"It is... 'politics' they said... for 'peace' they told me... I soon made my own peace with the decision my father had made."

"How could they do that to you?"

She smiled bitterly, "It is the duty of a Princess to simply do as she is told, Richard. I did not think anything was wrong with the choice... however, I was not aware that my sister was still aiding the Citadel even after the peace treaty was agreed... she... she was the one who gave orders to the Citadel masters who I was made slave to. She informed them that I was theirs to use for  _whatever_  they wished."

There was a sick feeling down deep in Robin's stomach and a sense of dread began to settle in.

Starfire blinked and swallowed hard, squeezing her eyes shut.

"I spent 3 years of my life within that wretched place... I-I cannot describe how terrifying it was to remain there... I can still see some of the horrifying images in my dreams at night..."

Robin swallowed, "Is... is that what you dreamed of a while back?"

She solemnly nodded, slightly sniffling, "I became subject to...horrific tortures... every single day. I will not... detail what but let us just say, the way in which they treat slaves are sickening... for the second half of my time with the Citadel, I was... reassigned... I-I was gifted to one master in particular...  _K'aak'r..._ he was one of the highest ranking in command of the Citadel."

Instinctively, Starfire closed her eyes to compose herself before slightly leaning away from Robin.

"He was... sadistic and greatly enjoyed tormenting me as well as others... I would receive wounds from him simply because he... he was bored... however... wh-when I was almost 12 years of age...  _K'aak'r_ began to look at me with...  _lustful_  intentions... and... masters  _always_  get what they wish from s-slaves..."

Robin felt his blood turn cold and his heart constricted in his chest. He prayed it wasn't true; that nothing of that brutality possibly could have been dealt to his girl, "Star..." He croaked,

Starfire bit her lip as tears began to spill from her beneath her eyelashes. She shook her head a little, almost not wanting to continue but deep down, she knew she had to finally admit these things to both Robin and herself.

Heaving in a shaky breath, Starfire felt Robin grip her hand even tighter, trying his best to show her support.

She wouldn't meet his eyes as she stared past him, before switching to staring at her knees, deep in thought.

"I... I was called into his chambers one evening... h-he struck me after circling me for a few minutes. The blow was not unexpected; he often did such things... he told me that I was worthless and I was nothing more than a...  _troq_... he told me...  _troqs_  are useful for nothing... because they  _are_  nothing."

Robin tried his best to control his elevated breathing. Her story made him angry; not at her, never at her but his rage was concentrated on the Citadel and the very idea of them laying a finger on her at all.

Starfire kept her eyes closed, trying to get her bearings.

" _K'aak'r_  told me to get up and forced me to my feet... before ordering me to... to remove my clothing... he... reached out and touched me... in places that made my skin crawl... and I was so  _so_  frightened but I knew... if I attempted to stop him... I would be killed immediately for disobedience, despite being the highest slave of value amongst them..." She paused and shuddered, refusing to even glance in Robin's direction, "I believed that touching me would satisfy him... but... before I could do anything... he grabbed me and forced me onto my back upon the floor and-"

She choked up, whimpered and lowered her head, tears falling without any sign of stopping. Robin felt tears threaten his own eyes; there was a faint stinging and he knew he didn't care if any of those tears fell. He carefully raised a hand, intending to touch her face but Starfire shrugged him off before he could. She wasn't finished yet. She couldn't be comforted until he knew everything.

Starfire sniffled and wiped her face, her lip trembling as she continued, "I was pleading and begging him to stop... I-I promised that I would tell no one... masters were not supposed to touch slaves like that if not given to them for that specific purpose..." She took a single breath and her eyes were hard as they locked on the floor beside her bed, "But... he ignored my screams and continued... I-I was in so much pain and I was so angry and scared... Robin, I-I simply snapped... I did not mean to do it..."

Hiccupping, she shook her head minutely as if trying to reject the memories in her head that had already happened. Robin watched her, not daring to make a sound. His heart was racing as she told him all of this and he had a sinking feeling of what she was about to admit.

"I-I was so desperate to escape from him and that awful place... my sanity had been clawed at so many times from the years of abuse... I gathered all of the strength I could and I-I could not stop myself... I... I pushed him away and began to mercilessly beat him... there was so much blood and his chest ceased the rising and falling... R-Robin... Please... I did not intend to murder him... I would never do that... I just wanted to get away... I-I-"

She stopped herself and her shoulders hunched as a particularly strong sob wracked her body. She was shaking like a leaf and Robin continued to stare at her, never giving any indication to what he was thinking.

"Please... Please do not hate me... I know your feelings towards killing another being... I swear to you, I would never..." Her voice caught in her throat and she stopped talking, unable to bare his gaze anymore. Her head hung and red hair surrounded her face as she drew her knees to her chest and buried her face against them.

Robin blinked. There were so many thoughts flitting through his mind. He was shocked to say the very least. When Starfire said she had a history, he didn't realise how dark and crippling it really was. His girl was always so bubbly and positive; he would never have assumed  _that_  was what she had had to deal with before coming to Earth.

Starfire was hesitant to speak again, waiting for Robin to say something; anything about what she had just admitted to him. Not only was she terrified he would see her differently because of what her former master did to her, she was terrified that as her leader, he would want her off the team because of her killing actions.

He was silent for a long moment, processing everything she had told him and although he knew, deep down that it would take him some time to actually take it in, Robin knew one thing for sure.

"I could never hate you." He whispered,

She choked and turned to him, her face tear streaked and her eyes red and puffy from all her crying, "What?"

Robin's eyes were soft and sympathetic, "Starfire... I never... you should never have had to bottle all of this up... what they did to you... what  _he_  did to you... I could never hate you for killing that monster."

Her eyes were as wide as dinner plates, "Truly?"

Nodding, Robin's brows furrowed in disbelief, "It was self defence... you've never killed on Earth and I know you never would. That's what matters... on Tamaran... you're a warrior culture. I get that way is accepted and taught whereas it's not here and you understand that. I don't doubt you in the slightest..." He paused and Starfire could see the hatred fill his expression, "That...  _bastard_  tortured and  _raped_  you, Star... it was self defence; you did whatever you had to to get free."

Starfire deeply exhaled, crying aloud suddenly. It was as if the weight of her past had been lifted from her shoulders and she was free to show the emotions that had been tied to it for such a long time.

"I-I would have been expected to kill and not even give the second glance... Tamaranians kill for sport and... my culture can be most barbaric... I-I never saw anything wrong with this way until... my feelings about it have altered during my time on Earth. I-I do not enjoy causing others pain..."

Robin brought his arms around her and she allowed him to pull her to his chest. He crooned to her, whispering comforting sounds as she gripped the front of his shirt.

"I am sorr-"

"Don't you dare." Robin snapped without the harsh tone, his arms tightening around her, "You were a child, Starfire... God, you should never have had to go through any of that... and at the hands of your own family... for Christ sake..."

Her shaking seemed to subside somewhat as Robin stroked her mane of red hair.

"I'm so sorry you had to go through that, Star." Robin murmured, his heart breaking the more he thought about what she went through, "I'm so sorry that I couldn't be there to save you."

Starfire briefly smiled, "Robin... you could not have prevented such a thing... we did not-"

He nodded, "I know... we didn't even know each other back then... but... I just wish I could've done something... anything..."

She turned and hugged him tightly, "I have you now... that is everything to me."

Robin leaned down and kissed her cheek a few times, trying to erase the damp spots still dotted across her skin.

Inhaling deeply, Starfire sat back and looked at her boyfriend. His eyes were slightly red where his emotions had also gotten the best of him. He gently brushed the last of her tears away with his thumb.

"I believe... I should continue..."

His eyes widened, "There's more?"

Starfire nodded slowly, "After...  _K'aak'r_... I managed to escape the Citadel ship... it was difficult for a number of weeks as I was malnourished and extremely disorientated from the trauma that occurred whilst I was held captive... after some time... I found my way back to Tamaran..."

Robin held his tongue, a strong feeling that it was not so joyous that she had returned.

She breathed out a bitter laugh, "My father was furious that I had broken the peace treaty-"

He snarled, "That son of a bitch."

Her head jerked up, unused to Robin swearing, "Robin-"

"I don't give a fuck that he's your father, Star... nothing can justify him allowing that to happen to you and then having the nerve to get angry when you escape them? He's a spineless man... I can't imagine how he was ever Tamaran's leader-"

Starfire swallowed and calmly touched his cheek, noticing that his breathing had turned ragged, his fury at how she had been treated very evident.

" _Otu n'anya_... I am aware... please, do not anger yourself... my father... he is not worth such emotion."

Robin stared back at her, his blue eyes hard with mistrust and venom as his mind ticked over her father. He relaxed after a long moment and gave her a curt nod before giving her fingers a soft kiss.

She smiled back at him; despite everything, she felt warm to know how protective Robin was over her. Of course, she already knew he was but it was sweet of him to jump so readily to her defence.

' _God, how does she smile at all?'_

Starfire blinked at him, believing she had heard Robin's voice but determined she was simply imagining it due to her lack of sleep and energy. She shook her head and sighed.

"My father ordered Blackfire to escort me back to the Citadel herself to ensure the peace treaty remained intact."

Robin seethed, his teeth gritted together so hard, she thought they may chip. His grip on her hand tightened as well.

"Blackfire did indeed escort me. Our long journey was filled with her expressing her hatred for me and expressing that I was  _rutha_  for not enduring what the masters put me through... however, whilst she berated me on our way through the galaxy, we were attacked by an alien race named the Psions."

The dark haired boy shook his head slowly, "You never even had a chance at a childhood, did you, Star?"

Starfire smiled sadly, "I am afraid not."

He brushed his knuckles over her cheek, "What are Psions?"

"They are a race of intelligent yet ruthless scientists. They thrive on experimentation of different species from all across the universe. They were delighted when they discovered Komand'r and I. It is a known fact amongst races that Tamaranians are well known for their endurance and resilience... the Psions wished to experiment exactly that on us. They wished to know how much energy a Tamaranian could retain before...  _combusting_..."

Robin narrowed his eyes, blood boiling in his veins once more. Why couldn't his girl just be left alone?

Starfire sighed sadly, "For just over a year, Blackfire and I were strapped down to boards... we were prodded at with needles and injected with all kinds of chemicals... we became so  _very_  weak and I could feel the energy burning my lungs and... it felt like my skin was constantly on fire... truthfully, I believed I would turn to ashes... we were tortured and treated like animals... I believed I would die in that place... however, their experimentation led to the energy inside of our bodies festering into something else..."

He stared at her, "Your powers..."

She nodded, "I was not born with my... starbolts as you and our friends so fondly call them... no other Tamaranian besides Blackfire and I have the abilities which we possess..."

"The Psions did not care how much pain we endured... they are soulless creatures; their only purpose is to gather information and knowledge, regardless of how many victims they go through in the process. One of the Psions who were experimenting on us however, made the mistake of loosely locking my wrist back into place after another bout of injections and chemicals... when one of them attempted to get close to me with more needles... I broke free. I was tired and drained but somehow... I scorched the entire lab where we were being held captive and I made sure not to make the same mistake of murdering any of them."

Robin continued to simply stare at his girlfriend. He didn't know what to say in the slightest.

Starfire suddenly conjured a starbolt in her hand, a weak one considering she was still healing and had only just risen but she stared into it, gazing at the green depth of power.

"At first, I loathed the very idea of having these powers... this energy within me... it was overwhelming initially... however, it became a very important ability that I could rely on."

He nodded but furrowed his eyebrows, "What about Blackfire?"

The starbolt was immediately extinguished and she glared at her hand, "Blackfire... she was badly injured. The explosion of energy within the room had harmed her and... although, I know you will dislike what I am about to say... I released her from her own confines and I flew us both out of the Psion space compound as fast as I possibly could, keeping Blackfire close to me.

Robin sighed, "I understand why you did... regardless of what she's done to you over the years... she is still your sister."

Starfire nodded, "Correct."

Shaking his head a little, Robin gave her a small smile, "You're a better person than I am, Star. I don't know if I could do the same to someone who treated me like how she has treated you."

She shrugged, "She is my family..." Her eyes suddenly turned sad, "She is the  _last_  of my family... that is why I try  _so_  hard... even though I am aware of the hatred she holds for me."

"You being so forgiving probably only makes her hate you more, y'know."

"I know... nothing will cause me to stop attempting to mend our relationship though... even if Blackfire pushes me away each time."

Robin nodded and gave her hand a squeeze, encouraging her to continue.

Starfire sighed, "Once we were far enough away from the Psions experimentation base, Blackfire attacked me herself and abandoned me in the vastness of the galaxy. She fled before I could even speak to her about our ordeal... however; I believe she resented me rescuing her, believing she could do it herself."

He snorted in disbelief and shook his head, "She's unbelievable. Seriously."

"I had spent 4 years in total, away from my homeworld and I was eager to return to see what was left of it. I was heartbroken when I saw it... homes were burnt to the ground, the vegetation was no more and families had grown substantially smaller... my world... it had become a post-war wasteland... I could not help but feel partly responsible for it.

Robin opened his mouth to speak but Starfire held a hand up to stop him.

"I do not mean it in the way you think... I felt responsible because I was the Princess of the planet... it was my sworn duty to protect the people and I failed to do that. We all failed them; my family that is. We fell apart when Tamaran needed us the most..."

The dark haired boy remained quiet, gathering from her tone of voice that she had made a bitter peace with that.

Starfire smiled a little smile, "I was somewhat elated when I returned... Galfore was so relieved to see me... it was one of the few times I have seen my k'norfka shed a tear... he was heartbroken however, to learn what had happened to me throughout the years, apologizing profusely for being unable to protect me like he was supposed to... Galfore has always strived so hard to keep sadness out of my life... I can never repay him for the kindness he showed me during my childhood. He was practically my only source of affection and warmth that I should have received from my own blood relatives... during my short time with Galfore, I learned that my parents had perished in the war with the Citadel..."

She shrugged, unaffected by their demises now.

"At this point... I had learned that I had been used by them. I was merely a pawn in their diplomatic issues... I... sometimes wonder if they ever truly loved me... even a little..."

Robin caressed her upper arm, stroking her skin to show his sympathy.

"It mattered not... in my heart, Galfore had been the only source of guidance I had ever required. He has always done the looking out for me and I care for him a great deal because of this."

The small appreciative smile suddenly dropped from her face and Starfire became sad, her eyes glazing ever so slightly,

"Galfore... also informed me that Ryand'r had disappeared. During the war, he had been sent away to ensure our family would continue through him... afterwards, he did not return and we were never able to find him again... I still have hope in my heart that he managed to escape and is in some form of galaxy... happy and carefree... it is the only way that I can allow myself to cope with the thought of my brother being lost..."

Robin felt his heart tighten for her, "I bet he's out there somewhere, Star." He whispered, unsure if he sounded as convincing as he wanted to be.

Starfire briefly touched Robin's cheek, silently thanking him for the positivity but she sighed, "My time on Tamaran did not last long... fleets of Gordanian soldiers arrived and took me as prisoner... they had been ordered by Komand'r to return me to the Citadel."

Giving a small hopeful smile, Robin gazed at her, "I think I know where this part is heading."

She copied his smile too for a moment, "I remained within Gordanian captivity for almost 2 years on their ship as they transported me... Galfore tried so very hard to keep them from me... however, he was unsuccessful but it was more than my blood family had ever done for me... whilst in the company of the Gordanians, I was still subjected to abuse but it did the paling in comparison to what the Citadel had done to me... I simply waited for the time to break free... and after a long time... that day came. I broke free from my cell, from the ship and flew as fast as I could to the closest planet..."

Robin smiled and gently touched her chin, "Earth?"

Starfire smiled brightly back at him, "Mhm... and I believe as you would say... the rest if history..."

He noisily exhaled and ran a hand through his hair, "...Wow..."

Her smile wobbled as she stared back at him before she suddenly burst into tears. Her cries of anguish and sadness were harsh to his ears. Robin's heart broke for her. He'd always thought his life before starting the Titans was hard what with his parents and then the gruelling training and lonely life with Bruce but Starfire's life... it was something he never would have expected from her of all people.

Robin wrapped his arms firmly around her and gently pulled her into his lap, careful not to tug any of the wires she was hooked up to.

He murmured her name as she clung to him, burying her face against his shoulder.

"I can't even begin to... God, Star... I'm  _so_  sorry you had to go through all of that... I never thought... how are you able to be so happy... having all of  _that_  in your memories?"

Starfire hiccupped and snuggled closer against his neck,

"Because... I-I have you and I have our friends... you are all so... kind and loving. Whilst I was quite confused by your behaviour at first... I learned to greatly appreciated the way you all treated me... you did not treat me as a slave or a pawn or a  _troq_... I can never thank any of you enough for aiding me that day..."

Robin ran his fingers through her hair, "I'd do it again in a heartbeat, Starfire."

She sighed and sagged against him, feeling an extreme weight lifted from her shoulders.

"You shouldn't have had to go through all of that alone."

Starfire pulled back and looked up at his face through her veil of tears, "I did not wish for any of you to know... I believed that if you discovered the truth... you would all view me differently... I was already from a foreign planet... I did not want that... I merely wished to be accepted... all I have  _ever_  wanted was to be normal..."

"We would never have treated you different, Star. We love you as you are."

She gave him a watery smile whilst Robin brushed and kissed her tears away from her cheeks.

"I promise you... I'll never let anyone hurt you like that again.  _Ever_."

Starfire gave him a small kiss to the cheek, "I have always felt safe with you, Robin."

"Good."

With a deep sigh, Starfire pulled away from him completely and her expression was one of fear. Her eyes were hesitant and her brows were pulled together in concern.

"Robin... I must know... does this change things between us?" She paused and sniffled, "If... if you cannot be with me, knowing the things I have done.. I-I need to know... Please. P-Please tell me if you feel differently about me."

He was silent for a long time, merely staring at her. Lots of things were running through his head but something that stuck out the most was how her main concern was how they would think of her. He understood why; he did. You never know how someone will react to something.

As he thought about it, Robin could only really think of the anger he felt towards those who had done her wrong. Her family, minus Galfore and Ryand'r, the Citadel, the Gordanians; everyone she'd ever really come into contact with from a young age had mistreated or betrayed her in some way or another.

Knowing that she had killed one of her captors didn't faze him as much as he thought it should have. He was surprised to actually feel a sense of relief that she did whatever it took to get free and to get away from that master. Just hearing about the things she had to endure set a hot fury in his chest and he had to swallow that frustration and anger, knowing it was useless. He couldn't do anything to change what happened; only be there to comfort her over it.

Robin knew Starfire extremely well; he knew that, despite her warrior upbringing, she was different from the majority of Tamaranians. She didn't take pleasure in hurting others; at least not on Earth. Even when they fought criminals, Starfire always tended to give them ample warning before throwing a punch that would knock out half their teeth.

Her sanity wasn't an issue either. Robin considered it in depth and despite her having killed someone, he didn't doubt her capability in the slightest. She would never just slip and kill someone. It would have to take a lot to make her do such a thing; like being tortured and abused as a slave for several years.

Inwardly, he knew he was trying to think of all the reasons it was justified. In Starfire's defence, it wasn't even murder. It was self defence which wasn't premeditated. She was a good person and she was the kindest person he'd ever met.

Robin just  _knew_  that Bruce would have something to say about it if he ever found out about Starfire's killing confession; about how she is a danger and could snap at any moment. He wanted to roll his eyes at that thought. But, Robin mused, he wouldn't be mentioning it to Bruce any time soon if he had any say in it.

He chewed his lip as his mind lingered on the secondary part of her captivity. Robin was still so astonished over what that master of hers had done. She was only a child and yet that soulless demon tortured and...  _raped_  her. He knew it shouldn't matter and it didn't but... he couldn't help but question his intimate actions with her since beginning their relationship. He supposed she didn't have any qualms about sex itself; she had always been quite appreciative and responsive to the things they had done together.

But still, he had this niggling guilt inside of him that he couldn't shake.

When it came to it, her being violated in that way upset and angered him. He wished more than anything that she'd never had to go through any of what she did.

However, she was still his bubbly girl, horrifying past or not.

"R-Robin?" She prompted, the fear evident in her green eyes,

He shook his head and smiled, "Star... it doesn't change a thing. To me, this just makes me feel closer to you... I could never think differently of you and neither would any of the other Titans. I love you and none of your past can change that."

Starfire's eyes widened, "T-Truly? We... we will not change?"

Robin exhaled and kissed the tip of her nose, "Not a chance."

She suddenly sagged in relief, her shoulders slumping and Robin realised in that moment why she had been so deathly afraid of telling him. She was terrified it would change his perception of her and that it would change their relationship for the worst. When she told her father, he had been furious and sent her back. It was a no brainer that she would have been scared to tell him in fear of getting a similar reaction or one of disgust instead.

The boy wonder gently ran his fingers over her wrists and she flinched slightly.

"So... the scars?"

"They were the result of my time as a slave within Citadelian captivity. They kept us bound and led us around by rope most of the time to truly quell the notion of freedom."

He paused, "Can I see them?"

Starfire looked uncertain, "Robin-"

"Please?"

She blinked before carefully removing her gauntlets. He brushed his fingertips over the weathered skin caused by fierce and prolonged wounds. Gently, he brought her wrist up and softly pecked the scars before giving the other wrist the same treatment. He glanced up at her, his blue eyes locking onto her emerald ones.

"I accept everything about you, Koriand'r... just as you accept me, flaws and all." Robin whispered, lowering her wrists, "These are survival scars, Star. I know you might not think of them like normal scars but they still show you endured something awful in your life and got through it."

Starfire stared at him for a moment before she broke out into a tearful smile, touching his cheek, "X'hal, I love you, Richard Grayson."

That sent tingles straight down his spine and Robin automatically grinned at her, "I love you too, Star."

Robin leaned in and cupped her cheek, pressing his lips firmly to hers and smiling at the way she melted against him. Her fears were extinguished and she knew now there was nothing she had to hide anymore. Robin deepened their kiss, happy to hear her contented sigh. He was crazy about her and through this whole thing with Slade and then learning about all the things she had been forced to tolerate before her life on Earth... it just made him realise how precious she was to him. He never wanted to be without her again.

"I have a question, Star... if you don't mind..." He started, nervously,

She nodded, urging him to continue.

"What he did to you... is that why recently... sometimes... you've been pulling away when we've been getting a little more... intense with each other?" He asked, his cheeks pink. Robin still wasn't used to asking her and talking about this kind of thing. Of course, he loved and desired her but putting it into words was not his strong point.

Starfire frowned and nodded at him, "I... I did not wish to continue with our sexual relationship whilst you were unaware of  _that_. It would have been unfair to you... and, I did not wish for you to find out after we engaged in sexual intercourse and feel the guilt that you had forced me or anything like that."

Robin smiled sheepishly, "You know my mind well... that is how I possibly would have seen it had you not told me."

"I know, my love... I simply... wished for you to know all of the facts about me before choosing to give yourself to me in such a way... I know that on Earth there is the stigma about sex for the first time, as there is to some degree on Tamaran. I know that it will be your first time; our first time together... I did not wish for you to do the regretting."

He nodded slowly and pecked her lips, "Thank you for telling me. I'm glad I heard it from you before we took that step."

Starfire exhaled and rested her head on his shoulder, hugging him around the middle. She drew a small circle on his chest and sniffled, "I wish to apologise for not telling you when you informed me of your own past, Richard-"

Robin shook his head, "You really don't have to apologise. I was being childish before... I really do appreciate you telling me though. I know it wasn't easy for you to do."

"Thank you... for understanding... and for aiding me with the comfort,  _otu n'anya_."

"Star... I'm your best friend and boyfriend... that's what I'm supposed to do. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you from the start. Instead, I acted like a jerk but I promise... I'll always be here for you when you need me."

He kissed her temple and cuddled her close, her face resting against his chest. He wasn't planning on letting her go or out of his sight for a little while. She didn't need to tell him everything but she did and he was going to be there for her.

Starfire completely relaxed against him and her breathing soon started to deepen, indicating she was still exhausted.

Robin smiled and rested his chin atop of her head, "Get some rest, Star... we'll let the others know you're awake in a little while."

With that, he felt her serene smile against his t-shirt before she fell into a deep, tranquil sleep.


	38. Chapter 38

Starfire giggled as she was carried bridal style up the steep flight of stairs. She kept one arm around his neck whilst her other hand rested on his chest, just above his heart, feeling soothed by the quiet and rhythmic thumping sound.

"I am aware that I am still in the recovery process, Robin but you need not keep carrying me each time we do this." Starfire pointed out,

The Boy Wonder grinned as he continued to climb the stairs leading to the roof with Starfire tucked safely in his arms.

He snorted and shrugged, "I like doing it. Makes me feel all heroic."

Starfire smirked, "You do enjoy helping the distressed damsel."

Playfully, he gave her a light tap where his fingers gripped the flesh of her thigh, "Do not." He paused and looked at her, "besides, the only damsel I enjoy saving happens to be you."

Her smile widened but she suddenly raised an eyebrow, "I am no damsel."

Robin chuckled as she lightly whacked his shoulder.

As soon as he nudged the roof door open, the blinding sunlight filled the darkness around them. Starfire lifted a hand to her eyes and beamed whilst Robin narrowed his eyes, trying to protect his vision from the light.

He felt Starfire relax in his arms, sighing in content at the rush of solar power surging through her limbs. She had been desperately missing the taste of the sunlight and slowly but surely, she was recharging herself.

"Oh! It is beautiful today!" Starfire gasped as Robin carried her outside,

"Mm, sunlight is definitely ticked for today." Robin concurred,

Robin had been bringing her up here for a few hours, everyday for the past week and a half since she woke up from her comatose state. She'd had practically no sunlight whilst she'd been kept under observation in the infirmary so now that she was awake, Robin was making sure she was getting her fill of sunlight. It was already working wonders for the Princess so he knew it was what she needed most. She was, however, still benched from active duty just until she was completely well again.

He continued walking until he came to the edge of the tower where he gently set Starfire flat on her feet, keeping his hands on her waist to steady her, his protectiveness shining through like never before.

"You okay?" Robin murmured, watching her closely for any signs of weakness or feeling faint,

Starfire nodded but frowned, blinking at him once before inclining her head back a little to get a better look at him. She narrowed her eyes, calculating which unnerved the Boy Wonder a slightly.

"Have I grown a second head or something? Star?" He queried, nervously laughing,

"You  _are_  growing..." She concluded,

Robin felt a skip of his heartbeat before raising his eyebrows and grinning triumphantly. For years, he'd thought his growing days were over. He was one of the shortest of the Titans, with Cyborg and Starfire reigning supreme.

He glanced down at himself, then back at Starfire. He was roughly around the same height as his girlfriend now, if somewhat still a little shorter. But, it was something he never thought he'd see.

"So I am..." Robin smirked,

"You... you will be taller than I at this rate," Starfire complained, her eyes still wide with surprise at the newfound discovery.

Robin chuckled, "Shh, before you jinx it."

He gently took her hands and helped her to sit down on the ground, straightening out the blanket beneath her before she took a seat. Once she was settled, Robin immediately took a seat right next to her.

Really, he had to laugh at the disappointed pout on her face over the height thing,

"Don't worry... I doubt my growth spurt will last."

Starfire giggled and threw her hair over her shoulder as she let the sunlight wash over her face. Robin smiled and rolled his eyes, getting comfy as his girl started regenerating the solar energy inside of her body.

He watched her as subtly as he could as she calmly started removing her boots and gauntlets, revealing her shapely legs and arms. Starfire still felt rather sensitive about her scars being so exposed but during times like this when she needed a lot of UV light, she had to wear as little clothing as possible.

She was holding back on that for Robin. If he wasn't out on the roof with her, she'd be wearing her birthday suit without a single care in the world.

Starfire was a lot less modest than Robin. It was a cultural difference. On Tamaran, they did not go around wearing half as much clothing as Starfire had convinced herself to wear on Earth and it wasn't something that was even thought about back on her homeworld.

But, she knew how humans felt about nudity and such so she politely refrained from removing every last stitch. She still received sufficient solar levels with the way she dressed on a daily basis.

Robin awkwardly cleared his throat and looked away from her as she finally sank to the floor, leaning back with her palms flat against the ground and her legs stretched out before them. She sighed in ecstasy as the sunlight began to charge her.

' _God... gorgeous...'_

Starfire's green eyes suddenly snapped open, blushing furiously at his comment. She glanced over in his direction to which he raised a single eyebrow at her.

"What?" He queried, confused,

"What did you just say?"

He appeared perplexed, "Uh, Star... I didn't say anything."

She narrowed her eyes at him, "But, I heard..." She shrugged and shook her head, "I believe I may need the sunlight more than I initially thought."

Robin stared at her before chuckling, briefly touching the ends of her hair. Starfire brightly smiled and assumed the previous position, closing her eyes to allow her body to really drink in all the delicious UV. Earth definitely had the best sun; she had been to a number of galaxies across the universe in her young life but Earth took the cake.

The sun here was always just so empowering and golden; it was like ambrosia for someone like her, who depended on the sunlight so very much. Robin had pointed out before how much she would struggle in a place like Gotham where sunlight is a rarity, unlike Jump where it was given in bucketfuls.

"How did you realise that the sun is what fuelled your powers, Star?"

Robin's question startled her; beyond having to know details of her abilities from a leadership aspect, Robin didn't really ask about her starbolts and the origin behind them. But, now that he knew all about how her powers came to be, she had no qualms about filling him in.

She peaked an eye open to look at him briefly before closing them again, shifting to lean on her elbows.

"It was during my time with the Gordanians, in truth. Being locked away in a cell every day led me to the assumption. When I escaped, I found myself feeling stronger as I drew closer to the sun. I... simply did the guessing.

He nodded, "Just curious."

Starfire gifted him with a serene, truly happy smile before returning to relaxing, the sunshine absolutely drenching her.

' _Sun... glorious... strength... back... Robin... love...'_

The boy wonder shifted to blink at her, bewildered before he burst out laughing, "That made no sense, Star."

Her face was straight and a little confused as she reopened her eyes, "I am sorry?"

"The things you just said... it was all a jumble of words; I didn't catch any of it."

Shaking her head, Starfire frowned, "I do not believe I said anything, my love."

Robin furrowed his eyebrows, "I just heard you?"

She tilted her head, "I believe you are mistaken... truly, I said nothing."

He pouted in thought for a long moment before shrugging but he rubbed his neck, sheepishly, "Maybe it was... the wind or something... made me think I heard something..."

Starfire grinned at him, "Perhaps I am not the only who is still the deprived of sleep." She cheekily quipped at him,

He smirked before playfully scrunching his face up at her, "Perhaps."

She giggled and raised her head slightly, indicating that she wanted a kiss. He smirked and obliged her, leaning down immediately.

When their lips touched, Starfire dreamily sighed and emitted a light moan, bringing her hand to rest against his cheek. He ran his tongue against her bottom lip, clearly wanting to continue but she laughed and pulled away from him, resting her forehead against his instead.

"I must concentrate, otu n'anya." She murmured,

"You started it." He whispered, giving her another quick kiss, "But, fiiine."

Starfire smiled and opened her mouth to respond but the door to the roof opened a small fraction. They both glanced over to see Raven's head popping out, peering at them curiously.

Robin offered her a small smile, "Hey, Raven."

His alien girlfriend sat up and spun around to face her friend, "Friend! Greetings!"

The empath stepped out, squinting at the sunlight before raising her hood and approaching them slowly, "Hey... sorry to interrupt-"

"Raven, you have interrupted nothing. Truly. Please, what brings you to see us?"

Raven continued closer before kneeling down in front of her best friend, "Well, I wanted to see how you were doing, Starfire... how are you feeling? Pain? Weakness?"

Starfire considered for a moment but smiled brightly, "Fear not, friend... there is a form of tenderness still remaining but it does not hurt as it did initially."

"That's good. Your Tamaranian physiology allowed you to heal a hell of a lot faster than an average human. Any weakness?"

She splayed her arms wide, "I am feeling much stronger since Robin continues to bring me outside everyday."

Raven quirked an amused smile as she silently noted Robin's pink cheeks over that, "Think of it as a leader, simply taking care of a team member."

Robin suddenly grinned triumphantly whilst Starfire shook her head, giggling.

' _Richard... leader... good... smug..."_

He swung his head around to raise an eyebrow at his girlfriend, giving her a cheeky yet challenging expression,

"Hey! I'm not smug... cocky, maybe-"

Starfire's eyes suddenly widened to the size of dinner plates and she jolted,

"What?"

Robin inclined his head, "What?"

"How... did you know that I-"

"You said it like not even a second ago, Star."

She turned her body to face her boyfriend, a nervous expression on her face, "No, I thought it within my mind. However, I did not utter-"

Raven sighed and pulled her hood down to look at them properly. She appeared anxious and somewhat sheepish as she raised a hand slightly, "That was the second thing I wanted to ask about... but I can see... oh, Azar... I knew this would happen."

"Raven?" Starfire prompted,

The sorceress cast her friend a remorseful look but shook her head, "I hoped that it wouldn't... but-"

Robin turned to her now, swivelling with a sceptical expression on his face, "Raven. What's going on?"

"What do  _you_  think has been happening? Tell me what sort of things have been occurring."

He ran a hand through his hair and sighed in exasperation, "I have no idea... all I know is that recently... for example, I hear Starfire say something but she swears by it that she hasn't said a single word."

Starfire tapped her chin several times as she too, cast her mind back to the oddities happening between herself and Robin as of late.

"We had simply considered we were both the exhausted and were most likely imagining one another speaking."

Raven awkwardly scratched her arm as she shifted to sit cross legged in front of them instead.

"Yeah... that's not... exactly right..." She mumbled,

Robin narrowed her eyes and folded his arms over his chest, "Wanna expand on that for us, Raven?"

She flicked her dark eyes to her leader, "I think... what's happening here is that you're actually... well... you're hearing each other's thoughts."

"What?" Robin and Starfire replied in dual shock,

"I know it's strange."

Robin waved his hand to dismiss that theory, "But... wait, I only hear random words from her."

Starfire nodded, "Yes! I also hear the singular wording rather than the full sentences."

Raven shook her head, "It's because it isn't practiced. You would only be able to hear certain words because you haven't tried to temper or master it."

Their leader's face had a hard edge to it and Starfire knew exactly why. He was one of the most private people she had ever met and she knew that he hated people being in his mind; in his private thoughts and the only place where he could be truly alone when he wanted to be. He hated anyone prying into those personal thoughts even if it was his own girlfriend.

"Wait... I'm confused. How has this happened?"

Raven sighed, "You remember when Starfire was slipping from us back in the factory?"

Robin swallowed, "Yes."

Starfire frowned. She knew he was harbouring a lot of rage surrounding Slade due to his mistreatment and abduction of herself, amongst the rest of his torment throughout the years. They still hadn't had a lead on him and she found herself wondering how much Robin was still thinking about Slade even if he wasn't actively showing his work. He wasn't obsessing like he used to but Starfire knew he was still looking into it.

He wouldn't be him if he didn't.

"Well, when you asked me to create a link to that you could speak to her, I told you that there could be problems... when the link was established through my powers... it kind of...  _stuck_..."

Robin narrowed his eyes a little more, prompting her to continue.

She lifted her hands in defence, "I  _told_  you when you begged me to do it that there would be repercussions from it. Creating a link like that out of thin air... it's not simple."

Raven wished she could see inside Robin's mind at that point in time; he was stiff as a board and she wanted to know what was going through his head.

"When you asked me to connect your mind with Starfire to allow you to talk whilst she was drifting... I did just that. It's similar to what we have, Robin but your and Starfire's seems... stronger... if a little messy."

"Messy?"

"The incoherent thoughts. Because you haven't tried to polish the ability shared between the two of you, you'll each only get snippets of thoughts. Being able to talk like normal, how I sometimes do with you all... that can only be achieved through training and meditation. The only reason my links with others is so stable is because I'm an empath and have the ability of telepathy.

Starfire nodded and opened her mouth to speak but Robin beat her to the punch,

"How do we fix it?" His voice was harsh and Raven inwardly sighed, knowing it'd probably come out sounding worse than he'd meant it.

She raised an eyebrow before flicking her eyes to Starfire briefly, who now simply had her eyes downcast, focused on her skirt.

"I can erase the link with my powers, if that's what you-"

"Do it." Robin snapped, "I don't want anyone in my thoughts."

Raven glared at him for a moment before looking at Starfire, "And, Starfire? What do you want?" She asked, softly,

Starfire looked up then, clearly not expecting to be included in such a decision.

She shrugged, "I believe you heard Robin. I have no place in his mind."

Robin blinked, before looking down at her and seemingly remembered she was there too. His expressions softened and he reached out to take her hand with his own. He tried coaxing her to look at him but Starfire was stubborn.

"Hey, I didn't mean it like that-" He told her, quietly,

"How else could you have meant it?" She returned, her tone hurt,

He sighed, "I just meant... Star... my mind is the one place that I can have privacy; the one place I can be safe from-"

"From me?"

"No; don't be silly. Safe from criminals and-"

Her eyes held a faint glow, "I am not a criminal trying to hurt you, Robin. I am your girlfriend."

He touched her chin, "I know you're not a criminal, baby... it's just... well, you wouldn't want me hearing your thoughts, would you?"

Starfire huffed and crossed her arms over her chest indignantly, "I would not feel ashamed of you hearing my thoughts, Robin."

"I wouldn't feel ashamed, Starfire... but... I mean, I know there are times when you think things that you won't actually say. Wouldn't you feel a little irritated if you didn't have the  _choice_  in whether or not I knew those thoughts anymore?"

She seemed to mellow slightly, "I... suppose... I simply do not understand why you act as though it would be  _such_  a travesty."

He deeply inhaled and lowered his voice, making sure Raven couldn't hear as a blush spread across his cheeks, "Star... I wouldn't want to burden you with the amount of thoughts that go through my head about criminals. You know as well as I do that you'd end up starbolting my ass for keeping you up at night with them."

She giggled quietly.

"And... I mean... well, I'm a guy, Star."

Starfire raised an eyebrow, "I do not understand..."

He gulped, feeling completely and utterly embarrassed, "I... uh... well, sometimes... occasionally, I-I have thoughts of you."

She tilted her head in question.

He coughed several times, "In... a... not so... innocent way."

Realization dawned on her then and she raised her eyebrows, smirking at his impossibly red cheeks and how he scrubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Whatever do you mean, Robin?" She teased,

Robin narrowed his eyes at her, "You know  _exactly_  what I mean, Princess."

She grinned at him.

"I mean... thoughts like that... I'd like to keep them private and very much to myself."

Starfire sighed and bit her lip, leaning into his touch as his fingers caressed her cheek.

"But... well, what do you want to do?"

She pouted in thought and shifted, "I do not... Raven?"

Raven turned back towards them, having shied away to give them some kind of privacy, "Yes, Starfire?"

"If... if Robin and I were to do the practicing of this ability you have imparted to us... what would occur?

"If you guys were to work on it together, you'd be able to control it. So, Robin, you wouldn't have to worry about stray thoughts and the link is limited with the two of you to some extent. I'm only able to read thoughts and see inside peoples' minds because of my powers. You would only be able to communicate through thoughts; nothing else."

Robin's face softened, "Oh. Well, that doesn't sound so intrusive... so it would just be conversation in our minds?"

Raven nodded, "Precisely... it can come in handy, like we learned when Slade's mask infected you with that toxin and I got through to you."

"But, we  _could_  learn to control it?"

"It'd take some sessions with me to help you out but yes, it's completely controllable."

Robin glanced at Starfire with renewed interest and gave her arm a gentle rub.

"I guess... it could be beneficial; especially with missions..."

Starfire beamed at him and touched his chest, "It may also bring us closer."

He smiled warmly at her enthusiasm. Nodding, Robin leaned forward a pressed a sweet kiss to her forehead.

Robin turned back to Raven with a soft smile, "Well, looks like you've got some teaching to do, sensei Raven."

Starfire giggled at him whilst Raven rolled her eyes. Raven shook her head and considered, "We'll start tomorrow. Starfire still needs to regain her energy from the sunlight. Sessions will be a little tiring, mentally, so I want to make sure she'll be completely fine to start."

The couple nodded and Raven smiled at them, "I-I'm sorry that I forced this on you two-"

Robin reached out and touched Raven's hand, "Raven, I was the one who asked you to do this, to link our minds as they now are. Besides, having a mental connection that allows us to talk is pretty cool."

Raven was hesitant but after glancing at Starfire whose facial expression said the same thing, she let go of a breath she'd been holding onto. She nodded to them and silently excused herself, muttering something about finding Beast Boy who was more than likely glued to the games console downstairs.

After Raven had retreated back inside the tower, Starfire gently turned Robin's face towards her and gifted him with a slow, deep kiss that was tender and exhilarating all at once.

As Starfire broke the kiss, Robin was a little dopey, "Mm... what was that for?"

"For giving the link we now inexplicably share a chance."

He exhaled deeply, "Like you said, it might be good for us and the leader part of my brain really does think it'd be helpful in missions. And... I suppose if we really hated the link, we could still ask Raven to get rid of it."

"This is true." Starfire agreed,

Robin smiled and kissed her nose, "Now, lie back and get your sunshine fill."

Starfire beamed.


	39. Chapter 39

Robin bit his lip in concentration as he shut his eyes tightly. His breathing came in long, deep exhales, calming himself completely and focusing on his centre. He allowed all thoughts to disappear from his mind; a hard concept for the boy wonder but he'd been getting better with practice.

As the minutes ticked by, Robin found himself understanding the word 'Zen'. The weightless feeling akin to floating on the clouds was all he could feel and it was a wonderful experience.

For someone who was  _so_  used to stress and burdens on his shoulders, it was an unusual but very pleasant feeling to feel emptiness in his mind.

The world slowed around him and so did the racing of his heart. Robin could hear nothing but the sound of his own rhythmic pulse, steady and paced.

Experimentally, he attempted the technique Raven had been showing them and he tentatively reached out for Starfire with his mind, searching for her bright aura as Raven had been advising him to do.

It took a moment of blind wandering within his mind but suddenly, the feeling within became brighter and warmer. It was a soul he knew extremely well.

When he felt confident enough that he had indeed linked with Starfire, he sent a thought through.

_'Starfire?'_

_'Robin!'_

_'This is most probably **the**  weirdest thing we've ever accomplished.'_

Her voice was so happy and proud sounding,  _'Oh! It matters not! We are doing most wonderfully!'_

_'It is pretty cool... I hope it becomes a little easier though.'_

_'I believe it will, with the constant practice.'_

He chuckled.  _'Yeah, I have a feeling Raven has drilled the whole "Practice makes perfect" motto into our minds forever.'_

Suddenly, the link fell away, crumbled and dissolved without Robin even realising. All too soon, he was thrust back into reality. He sucked in a startled gasp and jerked back, as if his soul was returning to his physical body.

The sound of birds chirping hit his senses first, followed quickly by the twinkling laugh of Starfire. He blinked open his eyes, staring at her as she sat directly across from him, legs crossed and giggling to herself. He assumed it was due to what he had said in those last couple seconds.

Robin couldn't help but grin as Raven raised an eyebrow, looking over them with a sense of mild curiosity.

"We got to it a lot quicker that time."

Raven nodded, "True, but you still look like you're having trouble concentrating in the beginning."

He ran a hand over his tired faced and through his dark tresses, "Yeah..." he sighed, frustrated they hadn't aced it yet, "it takes a little longer, huh?"

The empath shrugged, "You're still learning; both of you. I don't expect you to properly grasp this just yet."

Robin nodded.

It had been almost a fortnight since Raven deemed Starfire ready to participate in their telepathy practice. She'd been the dutiful doctor and signed off on all of her alien friend's injuries so that they could get back on track to normality.

They'd been having sessions with Raven for about 2 hours each day. They always tried to schedule the sessions around sunset as Robin and Starfire both admitted to that being the time they are both most relaxed.

"You are getting much better though." Raven amended, so the couple didn't feel too put out,

Starfire beamed at Robin who quirked a small smile back at her. She lightly clapped her hands in the most adorable way.

"Oh! It is most surreal, Raven!" Starfire gushed, truly fascinated,

Raven smiled a little, "It is an intriguing gift for two people to share, especially when neither of you have telepathic abilities to begin with."

"Okay, so what else should we try today?" Robin prompted

Tilting her head, Raven considered, "We'll try to work on more relaxed concentration. Instead of closing your eyes, I want you to focus on each other. That means eyes open..." She paused and eyed Robin, "without the barrier."

Robin hesitated, still getting used to removing his mask around the others. He only really did it for Starfire but he supposed, this would technically be for her benefit as well. And after a long moment, he decided he didn't mind Raven seeing him without it either.

He sighed and slowly peeled away the piece of material before stashing it in his belt. He caught a glimpse of Starfire's soft and serene smile at seeing his blue eyes blinking back at her. That made him feel a lot better about not having it on; that little smile she got whenever he did it.

Raven nodded, "Good. Now, scoot closer, stare at each other and take each other's hands."

Robin complied and slipped his gloves off, inching closer before he leaned forward and intertwined their fingers together. Starfire quietly giggled as they did so, briefly glancing at their hands before focusing on his blue orbs.

"Now, focus and reach for each other's aura, just like before." Raven's voice was soothing and calm as she guided them,

The boy wonder actually felt it was somewhat easier to focus on Starfire as a visual, rather than from memory. He felt closer to her like this and so, her aura appeared to him a lot sooner than before. It was like a burst of colour just exploded in his mind and there she was.

However, she was the first to call out this time.

_'Robin?'_

_'Star. You got me. I'm here.'_

She giggled into his mind.  _'How strange...'_

_'I'm surprised how quickly we managed it this time around.'_

_'Perhaps it is due to visually focusing on one another instead.'_

_'Maybe... or we're just acing this more than we thought.'_

Starfire smiled at him,  _'Now, let us attempt to stop our link without so much of the concentration.'_

Robin nodded and breathed out slowly, keeping eye contact with her the whole time but allowed his concentration to fizzle out until the link was shut down.

His Princess grinned and nodded enthusiastically, signalling it had worked like a charm. Robin copied her expression, proud of both of them for the progress they were making.

Raven glanced between the couple and smiled approvingly, "Very good... I'd say you only need a few more sessions to be completely honest... you both know what to do and how to do it. The main thing is to keep practicing which is the only way the link will really improve."

Robin touched her shoulder, "Thanks for all the help with this, Raven."

She nodded, "You're both advancing much quicker than most."

The dark haired leader smirked in that cocky way of his, "Well, you know us."

Starfire laughed whilst Raven rolled her eyes and shook her head at him.

"We'll have a couple more sessions, just to run through the process of contact through your link." Raven said,

"Will we be able to establish the link quicker as we keep practicing?" Robin queried,

Raven nodded, "It only takes a bit of time at the moment because you're getting used to it; your minds aren't used to the sort of thing that we've been doing."

Robin nodded thoughtfully and Starfire beamed at her best friend as Raven stood up.

"Thank you for helping us through this, Raven. It is most enjoyable spending time with you in this way."

The empath blushed slightly but gave Starfire a small smile anyway, "Happy to do it... now... I've got to get going."

Robin raised a dark eyebrow, "Somewhere to be?"

Raven shrugged and pretended to be nonchalant, pulling up her hood whilst Starfire crawled across the space to sit beside Robin, rather than across from him.

"Beast Boy has been going on about playing Frisbee in the park... might as well go now while it's sunny."

Robin smirked and the brotherly side of his itched to come out, "Aw, how sweet." He teased,

Raven narrowed her dark eyes and jabbed a finger in his direction, "Not another word, boy blunder or I'll drag you to the netherworld, personally."

He chuckled at her threat and laced his fingers with Starfire's.

"Oh! Have fun at the park, friend." Starfire commented,

Raven rolled her eyes, "Right... fun..."

With that, she turned and phased through the roof door, leaving the couple alone.

Starfire turned to Robin and raised an eyebrow, "You realise Raven will stay true to her promise of the netherworld if you continue to make with the fun at her expense."

Robin grinned, "Nah, she loves me."

Giggling, Starfire shook her head and brushed some of his hair away from his face,

"You are considerably the sure of yourself."

He tilted his head, "I have to be."

She hummed a light noise of agreement as Robin leaned forward and captured her lips in a soft, tender kiss. He tightened his grip on her hand before sliding his free one up into her mass of hair. He ran his tongue along her bottom lip as she grasped his shoulders with her fingers.

Opening her mouth a little, she allowed Robin to play as he had done so many times beforehand. Her grip on his shoulder tightened and he tugged her hair to keep them as close as possible.

He resisted a sigh as he kissed her. Her lips were warm and sweet tasting; like bubblegum. However, there was something he had been meaning to talk to her about for a while. It had been on his mind and he felt that it was closing in on the time to ask her about it.

Robin pulled back and fought to smirk at her swollen lips and rapid pants of breath.

"Hey, Star?"

"Yes?"

"How... I mean... recently, we've been getting a lot closer to... to... well, I mean..." He stammered, getting more and more nervous by the second.

Starfire furrowed her eyebrows, completely bewildered, "Robin?" She prompted,

He exhaled loudly and ran a hand through his hair, blushing a dark red.

"Well... I know... in recent weeks, we've become more... intimate... and I was wonder... well, maybe we should talk about... where that intimacy is going to lead us next?"

She blinked, "You believe the time ahs come for us to engage in sexual intercourse?"

Robin cringed. She was so direct and blunt which could vary between being a blessing or a curse sometimes. He wasn't sure what it was this time.

He began scrubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment, "Uh... y-yeah... kinda... I mean... it's just... we've been dating for just over a year now... I... um..."

Starfire touched his cheek, silencing his babbling, "Do you feel ready for sex?"

"Well... I... do you?" He asked, searching her green eyes with his blue ones,

She smirked playfully, "I did the asking of you first."

His smile was brief and he focused on his answer, "I... yes... I am. I love you, Star... I want to be close to you the ultimate way of being close with someone. But... I wanted to talk about it with you before we decided on doing anything... I... I needed to know how you felt... with what happened with the Citadel... I don't... I wasn't sure what your feelings were anymore regarding... us doing  _that_."

Starfire glanced down at her lap, considering how to phrase what she wanted to say.

"Robin... the whole reason in which I admitted that part of my life to you is because I wished for you to know everything about me before choosing to give yourself to me like that. I knew, had you discovered the truth after having sex, you may have did the double guessing of your reactions and had the regret. I did not want that."

Robin nodded, suddenly feeling a little warm at what she was suggesting, "So... you  _want_ to? With me?"

Starfire gave him a serene smile, "There was never a moment in which I did not wish to. I simply needed you to be comfortable with the information I gave you... please... do you truly wish to do this? Know that I... technically, I am not-"

He stroked her hair, "Of course, Star... as long as you're comfortable with it. I just don't want you to feel like I'm forcing you. I don't want to remind you of-"

She gasped, "Oh, Richard... you could never do that... I love you and I wish for us to be one... please, what do you call such an act on Earth?"

Robin scratched his arm, "Um... there's a few ways but I like the term, 'making love' best... it's the most... sincere term."

Tilting her head, Starfire's eyes sparkled at that, "Oh... that phrase is most romantic!"

He smile before that pesky blush returned to his cheeks, "So, we're... really gonna do this?"

Starfire gently rubbed her hand against his chest.

"I believe the expression is... we have done the waiting long enough, yes?"

He grinned and rubbed his nose against hers, "Uh huh."

"When do you wish to...?"

"I think we should just prepare and let it happen when it happens. It'll come; just this time we don't have to pull away if we don't want to."

Starfire scrunched up her face, "Prepare?"

He nodded, resting a hand on her stomach.

"Mhm... we need to figure out birth control..."

"Birth control? That is the form to avoid conceiving a child?"

"Yeah... I mean, we don't have to worry about diseases too much, all things considered but we definitely have to have contraception."

Starfire nodded, "Do you know which form would be best to use?"

Robin shrugged, "I guess... condoms would be the best idea. I doubt the pill for human females would work on you."

She wrinkled her nose, "Con-doms?"

The boy wonder felt that familiar heat on the back of his neck and sighed, "Oh boy... uh... condoms are rubber coverings that go over the guys... uh... it stops any of the... going... um... please God, tell me you get what I'm talking about."

Starfire suddenly burst out laughing then, "Yes, otu n'anya, I believe I understand. Apologies for causing you so much of the embarrassment."

He playfully glared at her, "Little minx."

Her eyes sparkled back at him with love and desire. She bit her lip and shifted slightly, keeping her eyes trained on his chest as she drew shapes with her index finger."

"Please... when will you be able to purchase these 'condoms'? Starfire asked, trying to act casual but Robin could see that she was excited to take this step. He had to admit, amongst the nerves, he was pretty excited too.

He smirked, "Why, Star? Feeling impatient?"

Starfire licked her lips, "I desire you, Robin."

A tingle shot down his spine at the way she said that and he couldn't deny he felt exactly the same way about her.

He smiled, "Me too..." He paused and thought, "Don't worry... I'll grab some tomorrow morning. I'll go out to the drug store in civvies."

Starfire nodded, "Wonderful... I believe if we have the form of contraception available to hand, we will not be quite as concerned about stopping moments together."

"True..." He stared at her and just felt the need to reaffirm it, "I love you, Star."

The Princess flushed and beamed at him, dropping a gentle kiss against his lips.

"I love you also, otu n'anya."


	40. Chapter 40

_'So, when should we try out that recent purchase?'_

_'Richard!'_

Starfire sounded absolutely scandalised as she shrieked his name in surprise within their minds. Robin smirked, seeing her cheeks turn a gorgeous shade of red.

_'And here I thought you were the more open one about it.'_

She shifted her eyes to Raven who sat calmly beside them, eyes closed and meditating herself.

_'Perhaps but our friend is sitting right here with us.'_

Robin grinned.  _'Our friend who has no idea what we're talking about.'_

Starfire bit her lip to suppress a giggle.  _'Soon'._

_'Huh?'_

_'In answer to your question... I would like to try soon... if you wish to?'_

_'I do.'_

Robin considered his choice of wording and gulped. He was nervous. Very nervous in fact. And, it wasn't due to their impending love making.

Raven's voice brought him out of his momentary silence.

"A lot better recently. You're making the link a lot faster." She complimented, opening her eyes to glance between the two of them.

Robin felt his heart beat so much faster as Starfire's face completely lit up with joy. She beamed at him and clapped her hand lightly over their success in mastering their newfound ability.

Raven stretched her arms above her head and placed her feet flat on the ground. She lowered her hood and quietly smiled. It had only taken another week but she was confident in how well they were practicing and improving. The bond between them was strong and the empath could feel it. Robin and Starfire had already had a strong bond but, with the addition of the telepathy, it was practically blaring at her that they were best friends and in love with one another.

"Really, you guys don't need me to supervise your practice now. You both know how to establish the link, maintain it and close it down. You've gotten better and quicker at connecting in the last couple weeks. Just remember, the less you use it, the weaker it'll become." Raven explained,

The young couple nodded simultaneously, "Thanks again, Raven. For everything."

Raven smiled softly and nodded before turning to Starfire,

"Did you want to head out to the mall to grab that new...  _outfit_  you wanted before it gets too dark?" Raven offered,

Realisation dawned on Starfire and she blushed, suddenly refusing to look at Robin, "Oh, yes please, friend!" She giggled nervously,

Robin raised an eyebrow and was intrigued but something else was weighing on his mind and he tapped his fingers against his knee as his thoughts churned together.

"Okay, do you want to go grab your bag?" Raven asked,

Starfire opened her mouth to speak but Robin jumped in ahead of her.

"Um... actually... would-would it be okay if I could borrow Starfire for a little while? I won't keep her too long." He asked, lacing his fingers with Starfire's.

Raven shrugged; she could sense Robin's urgency to talk to Starfire and the anxiety that accompanied whatever he needed to say to her.

"Sure. Starfire, I'll be in my room. Just come and knock when you're ready. Okay?" Raven told her.

Starfire was staring at Robin in confusion. She reluctantly tore her eyes away to glance at her friend, "Of course, Raven."

With that, Raven disappeared in a cloak of black power.

Robin slowly looked down at their joint hands, eyeing her slender fingers locked with his own. Starfire tilted her head, a pang of concern in her chest.

"Robin? Is everything the okay?"

He gulped and nodded, "Yeah... uh... I just thought we could... spend a little time together."

She blinked before narrowing her eyes at him, "We have spent the entire afternoon together-"

He gave her a look, "With Raven."

Starfire softly smiled before touching his cheek with her free hand. She turned his face towards her, focusing on his deep blue eyes.

"Please... if something is troubling you, my love... do not be afraid to talk to me."

Robin tried to give a convincing smile to throw her off, "Nothing's wrong... I promise. C'mon... let's just watch the sunset for a couple minutes and then... you're free to go out with Raven and buy whatever...  _outfit_  you want."

Starfire giggled but continued to stare a him a few seconds longer, waiting for him to give something away about what he was thinking. He was acting strangely and was clearly hiding something and she was extremely curious as to what it was exactly.

Finally, she gave in, shrugging her shoulders and turning so she could lean back against him, sitting between his legs. Robin inwardly exhaled, silently thanking any God that was listening that she was simply going along with his odd behaviour.

He kissed her temple before wrapping an arm around her stomach. She immediately brought both hands of hers up to the hand on her stomach, sending a jolt of warmth through him.

Robin smiled; God, did he love the woman sitting in front of him.

It wasn't a decision he was making lightly; he'd been thinking about it ever since the night he almost lost her. It was an experience that had been just a little too close to the edge for him.

With his free hand, he gingerly ran his fingertips over the belt compartment that contained the object that was the root for all his anxiety today.

Even as he thought about it, he felt his face heat up and his heartbeat increase. He was so nerovous and idly wondered if, at the position of her head, she could hear the beat of his heart. Was it too soon? What would she say? Were they too young? Was there even a standard time on things like this?

He didn't know.

All he knew is that deep in the pit of his stomach, it felt completely right to him and that was saying something; given his past commitment concerns early on in their relationship.

Robin cleared his throat and looked down at his beautiful Princess who was smiling absently with her eyes trained on the sun as it dipped lower in the sky. He took a deep breath and felt a smidgen calmer.

Surely, he was thinking the worst of this situation. It was in his nature to do that. Starfire would never react negatively even if her answer was the one he didn't particularly want.

Starfire shifted between his legs and the hand on her stomach clenched into a fist, the nerves flooding back to him.

"S-Star?"

"Hm?"

"Can-Can I talk to you about something?"

She looked back at him with her eyebrows knitted together before she sat up and spun to face him, "Something  _is_  wrong."

He shook his head, "N-No... nothing is  _wrong_. I promise."

"Then... why are you so... full of the jitters?" She asked, eyeing him like he was some weirdo off the street.

Robin tugged on the collar of his cape. Damn, he felt hot and he hadn't even gotten to the point yet.

"I just... ahem... okay... I've-I've been thinking about  _us_  a lot, lately... we're so good together, Star... and... I... we've been through a lot and we've been having a great time together-"

His head snapped up when he heard her sniffle. Suddenly, tears formed in her eyes and her lip quivered, "Please... this... this is the prelude to the break up?"

Robin's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, " _What!?"_

Starfire hiccupped and her breathing became slightly ragged, "I-I do not wish to do the breaking up, Richard... why do you wish to-"

He inwardly kicked himself. His nerves were making him do this completely wrong and now she was getting the wrong idea. He squeezed her hand and used the other to cup her cheek.

"No! God, no, Star. That isn't what this is at all... in fact, it's the complete opposite."

She blinked in surprise, "It... is is not?"

Robin smiled, "Of course not. God, I didn't spend 5 years having a crush on you, only to then date you and break up with you."

"Oh."

"My silly Princess."

Starfire gave into a timid, quiet giggle. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Then... please... what is it that you wish to speak of?"

Robin deeply inhaled, bringing his hand back down from her face.

"I... you've been on my mind a lot... and no, not just because of our link practice."

Starfire gave in a tiny, amused smile at his joke.

"We've been best friends for 5 years and now dating for just over a year... and I wouldn't change any part of it... I feel like we've gotten so much closer...

She smiled warmly, urging his to continue.

He suddenly frowned, "With the whole Slade issue... I mean... I've never been so terrified. I was so convinced you were dead... and by his hands too..."

Robin tensed slightly and she touched his wrist; just a small touch to remind him that she was here with him and that was what mattered. They would catch Slade in time; they would.

"It was... quite the wake up call for me... it made me consider some things. It made me really think about what's important to me... I was so afraid when I thought I lost you... I didn't... I really thought..."

Starfire kissed his cheek, "You have not lost me. I am  _here_." She whispered,

Robin closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of her lips against his skin. He sighed in content; the nerves were slowly but surely beginning to melt away.

"I know... but, being so  _close_  to losing you... it made me realise something."

She tilted her head curiously as Robin shuffled, taking both of her hands in his.

"Starfire... I love you. I never want to be apart from you again. I want to be with you forever... I know that's a big statement and I know we're only 21 years old... but, with you... it just feels right. And, we don't have to rush into actually going through with it for a little while."

Starfire sat back slightly, blinking at him. Her heartbeat had gotten considerably faster as she had a small inkling of where this conversation was headed.

"Robin... what is it you are attempting to say?"

He gulped and freed one of his hands, "I've never felt this way about anyone else and I know I'm not going to either. You're the only person who suits the type of personality I have. You're my best friend and I love you."

Slowly, he reached into the compartment of his belt and pulled a small velvet box out. Her eyes widened and she instinctively brings a hand to her mouth as a gasp escapes.

Starfire knew exactly what was happening; seeing as many romance movies as she had during her time on Earth, she knew.

"Richard..." She whispered with a small shake of her head,

Robin smiled nervously as he played all his cards. His walls were down and this was probably the most vulnerable he'd ever been before, in an emotional sense.

He popped open the lid of the box, revealing a beautiful silver engagement ring. It had a square shaped diamond in the centre with pieces of emerald running through the band of the ring, perfectly matching her eye colour.

Starfire fell backwards slightly in shock, using her hands to just about hold herself up. She was visibly shaking from excitement or fear, Robin couldn't tell but he hoped for the former.

" _Oh!_ "

Robin took a giant breath to steady his voice, "Koriand'r... will you marry me?"

The Princess rapidly blinked at him and opened her mouth several times to speak with nothing coming out. She tilted her head and exhaled. She swallowed the lump in her throat, eyes darting between her boyfriend's face and the stunning ring he held out to her.

Starfire's expression was hard to read and she swallowed once more before letting her answer fall from her lips in a single breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: To continue the series; take a read of my current fic: Counting The Days: Bound. The first 10 chapters are up over on FF.Net where my username is the exact same. I will be uploading it here but if you don't wanna wait for me to do that; feel free to go and read it over on FF! 
> 
> Thanks for reading! Don't forget to leave me a comment and let me know what you thought! ^.^


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